Domination Station
by Lolarosa
Summary: Isabella Swan was moving back to WA and opening a club called Domination Station. A place where woman and men can feel liberated. What happens when she meets Edward Cullen, the preacher's son? A/U OOC All Human
1. Prologue

**A/N This story is different from any of my other fics. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue. I have plans for some wicked fun and some steamy lemons. A/U All Human SM owns all things Twilight.  
**

As I walked through the curtain, I could see Jasper setting up his equipment. Without looking up, he placed his hand on the exam table next to him. "Take off everything below the waist and climb up darlin'."

I heard Alice's gasp at hearing his southern drawl. She was a sucker for a beautiful man; she was putty in the hands of one with an accent. If this particular man wasn't about to press a sharp object into one of my most sensitive areas I might have played matchmaker. I decided to save that idea for when I would remain fully clothed.

"Bella, you know you are insane, right? You know that you could still leave, unscathed?"

I just shook my head at Alice and began stripping off my jeans and panties, placing them in a nice pile on the table. This piercing was a present to myself, congratulations for making it as far as I had. It was also a reminder that pain was what you made it. You could take the pain and let it warp you, control you. Or you could manipulate it, overcome it, and even find pleasure from it. Once you were in control of your pain, then no one could control you with it. I had lived through that kind of control and that is what inspired me to open my club, Domination Station. A place where women could learn to control their pain, control their lives. A place where women could live out their fantasies without being judged and a place where men could learn to respect and trust their women.

It all started twenty-seven years ago in the small town of Forks, Washington. That little town was where I was born. My mom, Renee, left my dad after she was caught messing around with one of his deputies. We moved to Phoenix and lived with this man for about six years. Six years of pure hell. He was a very abusive son of a bitch, always yelling and hitting. He would constantly beat my mother, leaving me to watch. She always said that she could take it; she said that we would leave if he ever hit me. He would wait until she was gone before he hit me, making sure not to leave any marks. He told me that he would kill me if I said anything. One day he slipped and backhanded me in front of her; that was when we left.

She had the brilliant idea of moving to Florida and living with her parents. That arrangement worked out for me, as they were the closest thing to structure and normalcy that I had ever had in my life. My mom, on the other hand, was never very good at thinking about anyone but herself. So, it didn't surprise me when one morning she was gone and left a note about wanting to live the life that she never got to live. Leave it to her to make me, the 'unwanted surprise', the reason for her issues.

I was happy and normal, until the accident. It was my seventeenth birthday and I was supposed to meet my grandparents at a small diner after I got off work. I waited for 45 minutes before I got nervous. My cell phone rang and I was scared. A drunk driver... head on... DOA... The phone fell out of my hands. The next month remained a blur to me, all that I knew was Renee never came back and I wound up with my father back in Forks.

Forks, rainy, cold, home. Living with Charlie wasn't nearly as bad as Renee had always made it sound. He didn't pry, he didn't ask questions, but maybe that was because he didn't want to care. My life was relatively uneventful; I went to school, came home and went to bed. There wasn't much to do in a small town, so when Jacob started showing interest I couldn't resist. He was cute, in that little lost puppy dog kind of way, and it gave me an excuse to get out of the house.

Everything seemed normal until my senior year of high school. We went to a party and Jacob started drinking. That was the first night that he hit me. I learned well from Renee how to cover up the evidence and Charlie just never asked. It always seemed kind of fucked up that the chief of police didn't know abuse when he saw it. He thought the world of Jacob and couldn't wait until he could call him son. I was too afraid to leave him. After I graduated, I wasn't allowed to go any further away than Washington University. This was Jacob's rule and he thought that I should be grateful that he was even allowing me to go. The part that pissed me off the most was that I actually felt grateful. I even thanked him on more than one occasion, only to have him make me grovel at his feet as though he were fucking royalty.

My saving grace came in the form of my best friends Rose and Alice. I meet them my freshman year in our human sexuality class. They came to visit me in the hospital after Jacob put me in a coma. While I was still there, they gave him two options. Option one, he could leave me alone and never try to contact me again. Option two, they would cut off his dick and choke him with it. Rosalie pointing a 9mm at his family jewels while Alice pulled a machete out of her bag finally convinced him to leave and I haven't heard from him since.

After college, we moved to Chicago and opened a lingerie store called Nitetime Boutique. We just wanted to give women the pleasure of feeling like a seductress without looking like a slut. We had no idea that in five years we would be about to open our eleventh boutique in our home state of Washington.

That is how I wound up laying on an exam table, in a tattoo shop, awaiting my newest piercing. I had Alice holding my hand, while Rosalie paced in the waiting room refusing to come in.

"Are you sure that you want to do this, Bella?"

Alice never understood my obsession with piercings and tattoos. She simply wouldn't believe when I told her how much it heightened my own pleasure. She was vehement that a needle would NEVER get near her 'hoo-hoo.' "Yes Alice, are you sure that you don't want one?" I laughed as she wrinkled her nose and stared at the piercer with a look of fear. Jasper just looked at her and winked.

"Ok darlin', deep breath, you are going to feel a pinch, try not to move." Even after my careful preparation and enduring both nipple piercings, I had to admit that kind of hurt. The pain didn't last though, as he slipped in my new jewelry I felt almost normal again.

"Are you ok? Did it hurt? Are you insane?" Alice's eyes were nearly bulging out of her head.

"Alice, I am fine, I will admit I felt the pinch but nothing more." She just gave me her 'whatever' look and went back to staring at Jasper's ass.

"Hey Jasper, are you coming to the opening party tomorrow night?" I could feel Alice stiffen as I said this, a smile tugging at the corner of my lip.

"Of course, darlin'! Scantily clad, whip wielding women, I would be insane if I wasn't there." The last part was clearly directed at Alice as she quickly turned five shades of red.

"Thanks again, love, don't worry about your cover or your drinks, I owe you," I finished pulling back on my clothes and headed out to collect a frantic looking Rose. There wasn't much that girl hadn't seen, but she did not like anything that had to do with pain.

"If you weren't my best friend I would have you committed, you know that right?" Rose was always a little bit overdramatic.

"Yes, Rose! Hey, this is just payback for all of those times that I had to model your underwear," she hit my arm and we all made our way to the car to go back to the boutique. We still had work to do if we were going to be opening the boutique tomorrow and the club tomorrow night.

**A/N Review, review, review... I have a few surprises for random reviewers, take a chance and maybe you will win!!**


	2. New Beginnings

**A/N I own a Dingo/English bulldog named Rover, a pair of night vision goggles, a blender and some funky neon umbrellas, but I do not own Twilight. Here is chapter Numero Uno, thank you for sticking it out. Let me know what you think. Once again a HUGE thank you to my lovely beta Changed_by_Edward, you are DA BOMB!! A shout out to Ekkimuh, thank you for giving my story a try. Enjoy!!**

_"Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." - Carl Bard_

_August 20_

_Within the past month, there have been three major developments in my rapidly evolving life:_

_1.) Domination Station and Nitetime Boutique are both open and doing great. Rose is currently in Paris looking at a new line to add to the boutique's collection. Alice would have gone as well, but she is currently smitten with her newest obsession, Jasper. That is another topic all together._

_2.) We are now able to offer self-defense classes every Tuesday and Thursday. Emmett Cullen, owner of Rock Solid Gym and Fitness, offered to lead the classes in exchange for a seat in my SS&C course. So far, all of my applicants have been enrolling in pairs, so Mr. Cullen is looking to be the odd man out. He is easy on the eyes, but I am not yet sure if he is up to the task of being my partner. We shall have to wait and see on that one._

_3.) Emmett's parents are none other than Pastor Carlisle and his wife Esme. Not only does their church run the local women's shelter, but Esme is the Emergency Dept Director at the hospital. She asked me if I would like to counsel abuse victims as they came into the ER so I gave her my cell number and told her…_

Lady GaGa's "Love Games" pulled my attention away from my journal as my cell phone began blinking on the nightstand. The caller ID said Esme so I quickly flipped the phone open. "Hello, Esme, how may I help you?"

"Bella, I know that it's early, but are you available to come to the hospital? We just got a 'fall' victim with three broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder." The pain in her voice was apparent.

"Sure thing, Esme, give me about thirty minutes and I'll be there. Try not to let her leave… please?" I knew how hard it was to sit in one of those hospital beds while everyone looked you over. It was always so much easier to just stand up and walk away than to see the judgment in their eyes.

"She was given some Valium and Dilaudid so the doctor could get her shoulder back in place. Tomorrow is the soonest she will be going anywhere."

I was relieved to hear that she would be bed-ridden for at least one night. Just thinking about what had happened to put her there reopened the hole in my chest that was always so close to the surface. "Thank you for calling me, Esme. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"No, thank you, Bella. Please call me when you get here," she said and hung up the phone. Esme had a lot of responsibility at the hospital and many people looked up to her. She also had a lot of people that didn't approve of her stance on domestic violence. Many people never realize how widespread the problem really is and don't understand how many different forms it takes. It was high time people got educated and offered to help. These women needed to know that they had someone they could trust, someone who knew how to get away, someone they could depend on to help them, someone who had been there. I threw on a simple t-shirt and blue jeans, tied my hair in a messy ponytail, grabbed my keys and headed out the door. Right before I kick-started my bike, I sent a text to Alice telling her that I was going to the hospital and that I would call her for lunch.

Esme met me at the entrance to the ER. "Her name is Leah and she has agreed to speak with you, but she is still insisting that she fell. I haven't seen her boyfriend in here yet. Her mother dropped her off and will be back to pick her up in the morning. Bella," she said, her voice full of emotion, "thank you for helping." I turned to look at her and could see tears forming in her eyes. We had stopped in front of a closed door and Esme pulled me into a warm embrace before walking away.

I tapped lightly on the door and entered after I heard a soft, "Come in," from the other side.

"Hello, Leah, my name is Isa…"

"Bella, your name is Bella Swan," she said, cutting me off. The shock must have been apparent on my face because she smirked and said, "I live on the reservation, Bella. Not much happens around here without everyone knowing about it. What're you doing back in Washington?"

"I have some business ventures that I'm working on in Seattle. I've also decided that it's time I face my past and try to use my experience to help others. That's why I'm here, Leah. I want you to know that there's someone else who's been there, someone who wants to help."

"Exactly how do you know that I want to be helped? What makes you think that there's anything wrong? I'm just very klutzy. It's something that I'm working on." By the end, she was almost whispering. The strong, confident woman I had faced when I came through the door was now staring at her hands clasped tightly in her lap.

"Leah, I don't expect you to tell me anything about your relationship. I know how real the fear and pain are, I just want you to know that I'm here any time day or night. I won't ask questions and I won't press you for answers, but I'll be ready to listen when you're ready to talk. I'm going to leave you with one of my cards and I'll leave one with your mother, too. If there's ever a time that you need me, call that number." I placed my card on her bedside table next to her food tray, which looked untouched. "Would you like for me to sneak you in some real food?" A slight gleam flickered in her eyes when I asked.

"Why would you want to do that for me? Don't you find me pathetic?" The self-loathing that I heard in her voice reopened old wounds.

"Don't let anyone make you think that you're pathetic. People make mistakes. The key is to move past those mistakes and to learn from them." She looked down at her hospital robe and bandages before looking up with tears in her eyes.

"People have to do something wrong to make a mistake, Bella. I simply fell in love. You can't help who you fall in love with; you just have to take the good with the bad. You may not believe me but, we're happy, he loves me." She paused for a long time, as if she were fighting an inner battle. Then, she looked me in the eye before speaking again. "Thank you for coming to see me, but I want to be alone. I've had a lot of medicine and I'm getting sleepy." I nodded my head and turned to reach for the door. "Bella," I turned back to look at her as she continued, "don't expect to get a call from me. I love him."

I turned the knob and walked out into the hallway where I stood silently collecting my thoughts and calming my nerves for a moment. I was fighting the urge to go back into the room and force her to see the error of her ways. I wanted to yell and scream and make her understand that he didn't love her, that he didn't care. If he did, he would never raise his hand to her, let alone put her in the hospital. But, I knew that none of it would work. No amount of yelling or pleading would make her see. If I had any chance of helping her, I would have to be patient and calm. I would have to show her that I was someone she could trust, someone that would never look down on her. I had to be strong, for her as well as myself.

It was nearly lunchtime so I decided to have some Chinese delivered for Leah and went to find Esme. I found her in her office hiding behind a stack of folders. "Esme, would you like to go grab some lunch?" I hoped my question didn't sound too desperate; I just didn't want to eat alone.

"Yes, Bella, I'm starving. I also wanted to talk to you about one of our upcoming charity events. We need some volunteers for our date auction," she said, leaving me no room to argue. It wasn't a question it was a statement.

"Let me call Alice and have her meet us at the restaurant. She would be the perfect party planner and an extra volunteer for a charity auction."

..............

We met Alice at Bella Italia, a small Italian restaurant that Esme had been raving about for weeks. We opted to enjoy the unexpected sun and eat at one of their outside tables.

"They used to offer some of the best mushroom ravioli, but they stopped serving it about a year ago. Their chocolate martinis are fantastic though." I was surprised to know that Esme drank.

After deciding that one martini was not going to interfere with the rest our plans for the day, we ordered our meals. Esme began pulling a large binder out of her bag that had the word AUCTION written along the spine.

"This, ladies, is my newest project and fundraiser. Carlisle and I have been looking for new ways to raise money for the shelter for a couple of years now. A good friend of mine propositioned this date auction idea a few months ago. She put one together and they were able to raise $55,000 in one weekend. I do believe that with your help, we might be able to beat that number." There was an excited gleam in her eyes as she spoke.

"Esme, I know that we just met but I would love it if you would let me handle the planning of this event. It's a hobby of mine and I can't think of a better cause to support," Alice said with her best puppy dog eyes.

"Alice, I would love to have you handle all of the details!" Alice let out a squeal and we all burst out laughing.

"We've both volunteered to be auctioned off, but how would you feel about holding the auction at the club? There's plenty of room and I may have some other donations as well." I knew that the club would be perfect. It was in a great location with ample parking.

"Thank you, both of you. I was slightly overwhelmed by all of this, but I think that between the three of us it just might work."

"How many suckers… er… volunteers do you have so far?" I smirked.

"Well, let me look at my list. Obviously, I have the two of you," she began, writing our names on the list.

"Make that three, Rose still owes me," Alice added with an evil grin.

"Okay, I was able to get three other nurses, Carlisle recruited four men from church, my two sons and that brings our total so far to twelve. Not too bad, I was hoping to have at least fifteen." I was trying to think of more volunteers, but I found that my mind was distracted by the mention of her two sons. In the time that I had known Emmett, he had never mentioned that he had a brother.

"I'll talk to Jasper and see if I can convince him to help."

"Alice, when have you ever taken no for an answer?"

"Point taken, Bella. That makes thirteen, right Esme?"

Esme grinned and agreed with our number. Finally, our food arrived and the conversation slowed, but continued to revolve around the charity event. I was beginning to feel the excitement that Esme was displaying, but I couldn't shake my curiosity. I wanted to know more about Emmett. I wanted to know if I could trust him. So far, we'd only been on two dates, but I felt a connection between us. He was not judgmental about my lifestyle or my past; in fact, he actually seemed intrigued.

"So, Esme, sorry if this is a bit forward of me but, do you think that I could ask you a few questions about your sons?"

"Sure, Bella, would you like me to give you the basics first?" The knowing smile across her face helped to ease my nerves.

"Please, if you don't mind, that is."

"I have two sons, Emmett and Edward. Emmett is as outgoing and boisterous as Edward is quiet and studious. Two complete opposites, both with hearts of pure gold. Edward is a surgeon and is currently doing missionary work in Trinidad. As you know, Emmett owns his own gym, and has travelled to all of the continents. One of his goals in life is to visit every named country. Now Bella, what questions would you like for me to answer?"

"Um, I was just curious why Emmett has never mentioned Edward? Are they close?"

"Yes, they're close, but also very competitive. Emmett and Edward are only half brothers…" just then, Esme's cell phone started going off. "Excuse me, ladies, I need to answer this." She stepped away from the table for some privacy. Alice and I gave each other the same confused look.

"How could they only be half brothers? Are pastors allowed to divorce?" Alice whispered across the table. Before I could answer, Esme returned to the table.

"I'm sorry to cut lunch short, but I'm needed at the hospital. Bella, I was supposed to pick Edward up from the airport this afternoon but I'm not sure how long I'm going to be. If I'm unable to make it, would you mind picking him up?"

"No, Esme, not a problem. Just text me the gate information."

"Thank you, ladies, for everything. I'll be in touch," she said while gathering her things. She hurried out leaving Alice and me to process the new information.

"Bella, don't you have a date with Emmett tonight?" Crap, I was so scatter-brained sometimes. I was going to have to call and reschedule. Just as I grabbed my phone out of my purse, I got a text from Esme. It was the gate information and a picture of Edward. He had piercing green eyes and the most gorgeous bronze hair that I had ever seen.

"Would you like a napkin?" I looked questioningly at Alice. "You have drool on your chin. What are you gawking at?" Before I had the chance to close the phone, Alice had snatched it out of my hand and was using the napkin that she had just offered me to wipe her own chin. "Wow… between this man and Emmett, I think I'm going to have to start going to church more often."

"Don't let Jasper hear you say that. Plus, I think he might be a little too good for my taste. I like a little bad boy in my men," I said as I waggled my eyebrows suggestively.

"You're dating Emmett, honey, therefore Edward is off limits. You just don't come between brothers, it's unethical." The thought had never once crossed my mind. Edward had a pretty face, but I didn't think that we'd be compatible in the least. I'd still have to play my cards carefully to make sure that no one thought I was crossing the line.

"I'll see you tonight. I have a long drive ahead of me."

"Sure thing, Bells. Drive safe and behave. No scaring the naïve choir boy," she said playfully.

"Well I'm already dating one pastor's son, why not corrupt the other?" Alice simply shook her head as I started my bike. I was going to have to go home and pick up my car before heading to Sea-Tac. I didn't think that Edward would take to riding on the back of my Ninja with his luggage.

EPOV

As soon as the plane landed and the captain gave the okay for electronics, I switched on my phone and browsed through my messages. The most recent was from Esme and I couldn't help but smile to know that I was going to be seeing her in a few minutes. Although Esme did not bear me, I thought of her as my mother in every other sense of the word. As I read her message, I was saddened to hear that she wasn't going to be meeting me at the airport. She instructed me that a girl named Bella would be meeting me at the gate. I hoped that she knew what I looked like, as I had no idea who she was. I noticed the woman across the aisle struggling with the overhead compartment so I assisted her in retrieving her luggage.

"Thank you, young man, it's nice to see that not all manners are lost on our youth."

"You're welcome, ma'am." I retrieved my bag from the same compartment and exited the plane. After I acquired my luggage, I made my way to the appointed gate and began looking for Bella.

"Edward… Edward Cullen?" I turned toward the voice speaking my name and was met by the most exquisite woman that I had ever laid eyes on. I could no longer form any coherent sentences so I simply nodded my head.

"I'm Isabella Swan, but please call me Bella," she said stretching out her petite hand obviously intending for me to shake it in greeting. Her beauty however, called for a more traditional greeting so I raised her hand to my mouth, grazing her knuckles with my lips.

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Swan. Esme has spoken nothing but high praises of your work." She pulled her hand back to her side and a light blush crept up her neck. The contrast in her skin was intoxicating.

"Bella, Edward, please just call me Bella. Let's get your luggage in my car as I'm sure that you're exhausted from your flight." She reached for the closest suitcase and we began walking through the airport. I wanted to ask her everything about herself, but I still couldn't find the words. I'll admit that I'm not a Casanova, but I had never had this much trouble talking to a woman. I finally conceded to walking in companionable silence to her waiting vehicle.

"This is me," she said as we walked up to a candy-apple red 2010 Chevy Camaro.

"That's your car?"

"Edward, I would like for you to meet Eleanor, Bumble Bee's distant cousin. Now if you could please roll your tongue back into your mouth before you get drool on my girl, you can throw your luggage in the trunk." She hit the release and the trunk sprung open. She reached in and began reorganizing the contents of her truck to make room for my baggage. Just as I was reaching for my first bag, I saw her grab a set of handcuffs, what appeared to be a whip, and some sort of leather garment and stuff them into a duffel bag in the corner.

"What… were those… why… why do you have that… stuff… in your trunk?" I could feel the heat on my face as I began glowing a dark shade of crimson.

She turned to me and winked, "They're for the ride home, big boy." I dropped my bag and began hyperventilating.

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! *CRACKS WHIP* That means you!! I see you lurking in the back, night vision goggles!!**


	3. Twenty Questions

**A/N First and foremost a HUGE thank you to my fucktastic beta changedbyedward, you keep me sane!! Second a shout out yo my girl Militza, thank you for helping me out on those late nights!!**

**This is a LONG chapter, I know I am spoiling you!! It is not my fault, Edward just thinks too much.**

**Housework---Red Mills is a real place in Seattle, BUT it is NOT within walking distance to the zoo. I know, I just needed it to be, so in my little AU world it is, so there.**

**I do not own a mansion, a Lamborghini, a yacht, oh yeah OR TWILIGHT. I just borrow our friends for my twisted little tale. Happy reading and psssst REVIEW please!!  
**

Edward POV

Due to where our mission was currently stationed and their lack of modern technology, I was only able to speak with Esme over the phone once per month. Although she sent me countless letters, by the time our mail arrived she had already relayed the contents of them during one of our phone conversations. Our conversations were always pleasant and we mostly spoke of Emmett, the church, or the hospital. Occasionally she would explain a case that she found particularly interesting or relay some of the newest gossip in town. I always enjoyed her letters because she always made an effort to make me smile and laugh. When I read, "_I met my first dominatrix today," _I wasn't sure if she was joking. She spoke of how this dominatrix had recently opened a club in town and was making sizable contributions to the woman's shelter. She continued on to talk about Isabella Swan, a volunteer at the shelter, who also counseled at the hospital. Esme said that she and Isabella had formed a close friendship and that she was looking forward to introducing the two of us. I had never once thought that Bella and the dominatrix were one and the same.

"Not until now," I thought aloud as I slumped against her car waiting for her to return with some water. I tried to tell her that I was okay but she would have none of it.

"I just scared the shit out of you and damn near caused you to faint. Now, just sit there and let me get you some water," she had said with a smirk.

"Yes ma'am," I grinned, leaning against her car.

I had watched her walk away, amazed by her confidence and poise. I realized that I could see the dominatrix in her. Originally, when I heard dominatrix, I had expected to see a black haired, leather clad, whip wielding, lion of a woman. I never dreamt it would be the petite beauty I found when I arrived. But, when I saw those items in her trunk, everything made sense. _Why did I have to freak out when she was only making a joke? I guess that 'naive choir boy' really does fit._ It was not as if I had no experience with women, I just didn't have THAT kind of experience. I was never interested in just having a physical relationship; I wanted the love that my parents had always shared.

"Off in 'la-la' land?" Bella asked, handing me a bottle of water and taking a sip out of her own bottle.

Looking at her from this angle showed every curve of her body perfectly. _How I would love to see that leather outfit snug against her curves. Wait, what am I thinking? This woman is my mother's friend and I need to have more respect for her than that. _"Something like that, thank you... for the water." The cool liquid felt good on my dry throat. My palms were sweaty and my stomach was in knots. I felt like I was seventeen again.

"It's the least I could do. Sorry about my sick idea of a joke. I thought for sure that Esme had given you some form of advance warning."

She had given me advance notice; I just didn't connect the dots. "She doesn't tell me everything, and well, that sort of information doesn't make for the best dinner conversation." A light flush formed on her cheeks as she offered me her hand to help me up. When our hands touched, I felt a spark run from my arm up through my torso.

"Why don't we go get a bite to eat and I'll let you ask me twenty questions," she said, helping me up. I let my hand linger on hers, not wanting to lose her touch. She smiled and we finished with my luggage and got into her car.

"Twenty questions, huh... any rules?" I already had half the questions formed in my brain. I had never been so intrigued by any woman before. I had just met her, but I didn't think that I would be able to stay away from her.

"No rules. You can ask me anything you like and I am bound to give you the absolute honest truth." I was pretty sure that I was going to like the game and was thinking about it when she continued, "Now, what do you eat?"

"Food," I said, grinning back at her. Two could play this game.

"Ooo, choir boy has a funny side." For the first time, that particular nickname did not hold its usual sting for me. "Let me rephrase it for you then. What type of food does your palate prefer?"

"How about a good old fashioned Red Mills hamburger? They're only a few blocks away from the zoo. If you don't have any previous engagements for this afternoon, we could check out Tanya the Chimpanzee." I was never a big fan of the zoo, but I needed an excuse to spend as much time with her as possible.

"Actually, Edward, Red Mills and some monkeys sounds like an excellent idea." She pulled onto I-5 and in a short time, we were pulling into Red Mills.

"I hope that you've been thinking about your twenty questions because the offer expires at midnight and there is no glass slipper." She made her way to the counter and began ordering her food. Before she was able to pull out her wallet, I added my order and swiped my card.

"What? Am I the only one who doesn't think that chivalry is dead?" She shook her head at me while I followed her to a table set back into the corner of the restaurant. There wasn't very much traffic so we would be able to speak freely without too many interruptions. She seemed to be giving me the privacy I needed to be comfortable asking the questions that I really wanted answers to.

"So, would you like to eat first or start the questions?" she asked, looking up from unloading the tray with anticipation in her eyes. I had to be reading her wrong because there was no way that she would be wanting me the way I did her. The only thing that I could do was utilize every moment that I had with her and hope that I could make a small impression on her life. I decided to begin with an easy question… for me. I was going to make the game a marathon, not a sprint.

"What, exactly, do you do for a living?" Esme had given me a brief description by telling me that Bella owned a club and did charity work. I wanted to find out how she made her money, what she did for fun, and what made her tick.

"Well, professionally I'm a partial owner of NiteTime Boutique, which I share with my two best friends. I'm also the proud owner of Domination Station, Seattle's newest club." She grinned and took a bite out of her burger. I knew about the club and the boutique, and that they were both flourishing. I took a bite of my own burger while I contemplated how to word the next question so that I would get the desired answer. She wasn't going to make it easy on me, but I had all the time in the world.

"What were those things I saw in your trunk?" As much as I hated it, I could feel the heat on my cheeks signifying the crimson blush that was now visible to Bella. She giggled before placing her hand over her mouth. The sound made my pulse quicken, it was the best sound I have ever heard.

"There was a set of handcuffs, my favorite bullwhip, and my leather catsuit," she said with her big brown eyes locked on mine. She was judging my reactions, probably waiting for disgust or embarrassment. She wasn't going to find either of those in my face though. Intrigue and affection were the only emotions I was feeling at that moment. With every new piece of information, I wanted to know more.

"Why were those items in your trunk?" I was wondering if she had plans for later that evening or if she had forgotten to remove them after the previous night. Then, I began to wonder if I really wanted to know the answer to that question. Just the thought of her using any of her… _toys… _with another man made me ill, which was absurd. I had no right being jealous, but I was.

"Because I put them there." A triumphant smirk crossed her face as she answered. She was too good at this game and as much as I didn't want to hear the answer, I had to know.

"What were you going to do with those items?" I hoped that would get me the answer I was looking for. _Good job, Cullen, now breathe, she isn't yours._

"Before I answer that question, you have to do something for me. I want to hear you say the names of 'those items.'" I had not intentionally avoided calling them by name; it was simply out of habit. I was brought up to never talk about such things. We all knew about sex, but no one ever spoke about it on purpose. However, if I wanted to get any more answers out of her, I was going to have to compromise. I swallowed some of my drink.

"What were you going to do with the whip, handcuffs, and catsuit, Bella?" I smiled my best crooked grin as I asked and was rewarded by a look of pride and a brilliant smile.

"I was going to stop by the club later and set up my classroom. My classes start next week and I'll need them as examples." Esme had never said anything about classes. What kind of class could she be teaching that would need those particular items as examples? At least she wasn't using them on anyone else, I didn't think. I swallowed hard to get the lump in my throat to go down.

"What do you teach in your classes?" I wanted to know more. As I watched, she began fidgeting and tearing small pieces off her bun before she answered.

"The class is called Safe, Sane and Consensual. It teaches the fundamentals of BDSM for couples. I offer it to anyone who is interested in broadening their sexual experiences and fulfilling their fantasies." Once again, she was staring at me with those exquisite chocolate brown eyes. Before my mind could register what was happening, my mouth spoke.

"Are there any spots still open in your class?" She looked at me in surprise. _What did I just ask?_

"Actually, I just gave my last two spots to Esme for her Auction. If you want one you're going to have to bid for it. I will warn you though, you have to be serious about wanting to learn. I don't want anyone in my class who is not going to take it seriously, or who is going to judge others by what they do." She was exuding a new attitude. Did she think that I was going to judge her for what she does? I desperately wanted this woman to know me, to know that I would never be able to look down on her, to know how I admired her.

"First, I would never take that much time away from my schedule to do anything that I wasn't interested in. Second, I don't judge others. I give each person a clean slate from the first time I meet them. No matter what they have done in life, everyone has their reasons behind it. It might do you well to take the same advice. I'm not the one judging another book by its cover at the moment." I hadn't meant to come across so stern, but something in me had snapped. I hated being judged by who my parents were instead of for myself. I realized it wasn't her fault, as she didn't want to be judged either.

"You're right and for that I'm sorry. I should be the first to admit that you can't tell what a person is like on the inside by what they do or how they look. I've encountered a vastly diverse group of people through the years and have been surprised on more than one occasion." She thought for a moment and then coyly asked, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"

_What could she possibly want to know about me?_ "Ask the question and then I'll let you know if I'm going to answer it now, or when you get your twenty questions." I figured it was as good an excuse as any to set up another date with her. I already knew that I would never have the strength to stay away with her.

"How... hmm... how experienced are you... sexually?" I saw a light flush darken her cheeks. Before I had a chance to answer, a perky brunette glided up to our table. She was wearing a Red Mills t-shirt and her nametag read "Militza."

"How's everything going over here? Can I get you anything else or get these trays out of your way?" She had an attractive smile and gestured towards our trays as she spoke.

"Thank you, but I believe we're fine. Bella, do you need anything?" I noticed that the waitress quickly glanced at Bella, as if she just realized that she was sitting there.

"Yea, no, we're fine. We'll be out of your hair in no time, hon." Bella gave a simple smile before returning her gaze to me. She bit into a French fry before raising her brows and waving her hand, urging me to answer her question. I waited as Militza gave me one last look before hurrying back to the counter. I thought I heard giggling, but decided that it must be from another table. I had already decided to make Bella wait for my answer for two reasons. One, I wanted an excuse to see her again, and two, I wasn't ready to admit the one thing that might keep us apart, my virginity.

"I think I'm going to make you wait for the answer to that question. Today is about me getting to know you. You'll have your chance to ask questions later," I said, flashing a crooked smile. I was rewarded with the same light blush on her cheeks that I had seen before. I decided to lighten up the questions for a little bit and get her mind off my experience, or lack thereof.

"What do you like to do in your spare time?" She gave me a puzzled look before answering.

"Between the boutique, the club, and my classes, I don't get much of that. I'm also volunteering at the hospital and taking kick boxing lessons at a local gym. If, by some miracle, I get some time to myself, I like to curl up with a good book and my MP3 player. I'm a very open-minded person and will try anything at least once. Alice and Rose have made sure to hold me to that on more than one occasion." She tossed another French fry into her mouth indicating the end of her answer.

Was I ready for the question that I had wanted to ask since learning of this little game? _Are you a dominatrix?_ Just saying it in my head made my palms sweat. I didn't think I was ready to ask that yet.

"What's your favorite color?" _That was a fabulous question, Cullen. Why don't you grow up and ask her what you really want to know next time?  
_  
"Can chameleon be a color? I was never very good at that question. I'm very indecisive and can never pick just one. So, yes, I'm going to go with chameleon and blend in with my environment." She hadn't struck me as indecisive, but that was interesting. Maybe it wasn't a useless question after all. "_Are you a dominatrix?" _was practically screaming inside my head. I just needed a little bit more time, maybe after we finished the rest of our food and were back in her car.

"Let's take a break from the questions until after we get out of here, okay?" I knew I was stalling. I just hoped she didn't notice. I planned to ask the question as soon as we got outside.

"Yea sure, I'm almost done. Is the zoo close enough for us to walk? I'd hate to miss such a beautiful day." Surprisingly enough, it was an abnormally sunny day in the great state of Washington. The zoo was only a couple of blocks away and stretching my legs would feel great.

"Walking sounds great."

We finished the last of our meal and threw our trash in the receptacle before beginning our walk. Just as we were stepping off the curb, Bella's shoe got caught and she fell against my chest. Instinctively, my arms wrapped around her slender body to keep her from falling to the ground. In that moment, everything felt right. Her body against mine was exhilarating. Her scent, intoxicating. I could feel her heart rate increase as her hands moved on my arms.

"Edward," she said, looking up at me with those deep, expressive eyes. I felt myself lean into her. It was as though her body was calling to mine and I was helpless to stop myself. She was watching me, a thousand emotions running across her face before she quickly pulled away, carefully stepping back on the curb.

"Before we go any further, I have to tell you something." I knew what she was going to say. She wasn't interested in me in that way and she just wanted to be friends. "I'm a huge klutz, so if there are any injuries during this walk, please don't sue me." I let out a sigh and couldn't contain the smile that spread across my face.

"Good thing I have a medical degree," I said, grinning at her. She laughed as she casually brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear. My hand twitched as I longed to be the one touching her that way. I could almost feel the softness of her skin as I cupped her cheek in the palm of my hand, the silkiness of her hair on my fingers.

"Edward... earth to Edward?" She snapped her fingers inches from my nose, pulling me out of my fantasy. "Do you need a moment? You seem to wander into la-la land a lot," she commented with a smirk on her face. I shook my head in an attempt to gather my thoughts. If only she knew what I was thinking about, what I was longing to do to her.

"Sorry... yea… no, I'm fine, it's just... I have a lot on my mind." _Smooth, Cullen. What if she asks what's on your mind? Work… I could always tell her it was about work… _

"I've been gone from my practice for six months and I was just thinking of some of the things that I'm going to need to do when I go in tomorrow." _Good save, Cullen_, _I hope she buys it. _

She looked up and beamed her beautiful smile, but something about it seemed off. She had a confused look in her eye, like she was fighting an internal battle. Her brows began to furrow as my heart began to race.

"Edward... um... what I mean… were you going to kiss me?"

_Crap! Now what do I say? If I say yes and she isn't interested, then everything will be all awkward and we won't be able to remain friends. If I say no and she IS interested, then I would ruin a chance of becoming more than just friends. Do I need to answer? We already agreed that this was MY twenty questions. _I knew that she wouldn't forget and eventually I would have to answer her. "_Are you a dominatrix?" Am I ready to play that card?_

"Are you okay?" she asked, taking a step closer. She placed her hand on my shoulder and my heart skipped a beat. All I wanted to do was take her in my arms and feel her lips against mine. I had to say something before I ruined everything.

"Are you a dominatrix?" I blurted out. I was horrified. She just looked at me, took my hand, and started walking towards the zoo.

"I'll answer if you promise to keep breathing," she said, laughing. I released the breath that I hadn't realized I was holding.

**I did my part and wrote this little drama and now it is your turn to hit the little button and review!! Let me know what you think and also what questions you want to hear Edward ask. I would also like to know if you want the next chapter to stay in Edward's POV or see what Bella is thinking. The more reviews the faster I update. They are like chocolate!!  
**


	4. Awakening

**First and foremost a HUGE thank you to my every supportive and fantastic beta and friend ChangedbyEdward. Also thank you for Militza for making sure that I do not get lonely in my corner.**

**Thank you to everyone who left reviews **hint hint** and put this story on their favorite lists. I wanted something witty and fun to say here, but I used up all of my creativity for the week. The chapter will have to suffice. :)**

**As per usual I own every Bon Jovi album ever made, but NOT Twilight. SM owns it and the disappointment that was BD. (when abbreviated it sounds like a venereal disease)**

**Enjoy and Review!!!!!!**

**BPOV**

His arms around my body felt perfect. I could feel his muscular chest and racing heart underneath my palm. The warmth from his body, mixed with his honey/lilac scent, was intoxicating. I turned my head and gazed into his intense green eyes. My hand involuntarily moved along his arm wanting to feel every inch of his body. Everything about this moment felt right.

"Edward," I breathed, _kiss me_.

Just then, Alice's voice cut into my consciousness, "_You're dating Emmett, honey, therefore Edward is off limits. You just don't come between brothers, it's unethical."_ Damn. Was I supposed to ignore the connection I felt with Edward? Our bodies ignited when we touched, as if calling to each other. I have never been a strong believer in fate, but it felt like we were meant for each other. His arms tightened, pulling me against his chest as he began to lean into me. Every instinct in my body told me to meet him half-way and feel those full lips against my own.

_"You're dating his brother. Stop being selfish and don't ruin their relationship." _

_Damn, it feels so... _

_"Stop this and stop it NOW, Isabella!"_

I moved my hand from his arm and placed it next to my other one on his chest, increasing the distance between our bodies. An emptiness that I had never felt before began to form in my chest.

_What I wouldn't give to have those strong hands holding my hips as..._

_"ISABELLA!" _

With that thought, I shoved my hand into my pocket, digging my nails into my upper thigh. _Focus Bella, change the subject. _I needed to put more space between us, so I stepped up onto the curb. After taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart and panting, I knew that I needed to clear the air.

"Before we go any further, I have to tell you something." _I want you to rip my clothes off and take me against the side of my car. _The look of fear and rejection on his face saved me from drawing blood from my leg. "I'm a huge klutz, so if there are any injuries during this walk, please don't sue me."

The look of relief on his face confused me. What was he so worried about? As I brushed a stray hair behind my ear, my knuckle grazed my cheekbone and my mind replaced my hand with his. The simple thought of such a tender touch sent a shiver down my spine. I could feel the flush start to cover my body and I quickly glanced up to see if Edward had noticed my change in color. He was staring into space, seemingly lost in deep thought. I longed to know what he was thinking.

"Edward? Hey, you okay?" Nothing. He really was lost in thought. I stepped forward and snapped my fingers near his face, too nervous to touch him again. "Earth to Edward!"

He finally came back to the world of the living and made some excuse about missing work. If there is anything that I have learned in my years, it is what a man's face looks like when he is not thinking about work. _Was he thinking about me? Was he really going to kiss me or was I just imagining things? Well, there is only one way to find out._

"Edward... um..." _Why do I have butterflies in my stomach? Isabella, you have asked men questions a lot worse than this one. He's no different, be straight forward and just ask. The worst thing he could do is say no. What will I do if he says yes?_

_"_Were you going to kiss me?" _See, not that hard, now breathe. _

All the color drained out of his face. _Why does he looked petrified? Was the thought of kissing me THAT horrible? Had I read the signs wrong or did I intimidate him that much?_

"Are you okay?" I felt horrible for making this beautiful man shake. He looked like a deer caught in the headlights, unable to move, petrified with fear.

"Are you a dominatrix?" The words tumbled out of his mouth as a sheen of sweat formed on his forehead.

I nearly laughed at the whole scene. Why was he so scared? He obviously needed answers. He longed for knowledge. He was begging me for both and I had every intention of giving them to him. I needed to stop thinking about him as the 'choir boy,' but instead as a man that needed my guidance. Taking his hand, I decided that it was time to give him both.

**EPOV**

The warmth from her hand radiated throughout my body, but the warmth from her heart began to fill my soul. I didn't even need to know the answer to any more of my questions. Having her next to me was enough for me to know that everything was right. She squeezed my hand asking for me to look at her before she gave her answer.

"Yes, I've been trained to be a dominatrix, but I'm not currently acting as one."

_I guess I really did ask the question aloud._ _How could she be one, but not right now? Is it something that you can just turn off? I really need to learn more about this lifestyle as I'm more confused now than I was before she answered_.

She looked at me with inquisitive eyes and patiently waited for me to process the information she had just given me before I asked the next question. _What do I want to know? _

"Why are you not currently a dominatrix?" The pleasant smile that crossed her lips told me that this was a good question to ask. Before that day, I never thought that a woman's smile could have such a profound effect on my soul. Bella smiling was the most beautiful sight in the world.

"I'm not an acting Dom because I don't have a collared sub. I maintain a monogamous relationship with my subs and although I will participate in scenes, I won't participate in intercourse outside of my personal sub."

_What? Collared subs? Scenes? Is there a text book to go along with all of this jargon? Wait, there might not be a textbook, but there IS her class. She said that she gave the extra seats to Esme for her auction... I'm going to have to donate some money to the church, not a hard thing for me to do. I might have a hard time explaining my reasons behind taking the class to my parents, but I'll worry about that later. Right now I need to learn as much about this lifestyle as I can so that I can be prepared to impress her in class._

"So, let me see if I have this right. You have the ability and the knowledge to be a Dom and the only thing stopping you is the lack of a collared sub? Right?" I felt slightly empowered just to get the words out of my mouth. She chewed on her lower lip while nodding her agreement to my statement. She looked as though there was more that she wanted to say, but fought the urge to say it. 

_Could there be a reason that she doesn't have a collared sub at this time? Is she __actively searching for one? How would a person go about finding something like that? _My mind was racing with a thousand different questions that I wanted to ask.

"Why don't you have a collared sub?" I was still unsure of many of the details of that type of relationship, but I found it intriguing to talk about. _Is she able to have a non-collared sub? Is there such a thing? Do they have to obey every command all the time or do they schedule time for that? _I had never really thought about that type of relationship before, but when given the opportunity, there were so many complexities that I didn't understand and I wanted to learn as much as I could.

"I left my last sub back in Chicago, before moving to Washington. I needed to take this step in my life on my own and she had different plans for her future."

I never thought that the move back to Washington would have been that hard for her. _Wait, did she just say that her last sub was a woman? Is that why she pulled away from me earlier, she isn't interested in men? Why would I be so attracted to her if she wasn't interested in men? How do you ask someone their sexual preferences?_ Suddenly she stopped, pulling on my arm and turning me to face her.

"The reason that I didn't bring a sub with me was because I wanted to start something new. I came back to live my dream of opening my night club. It's a place where people that live, or are curious about this lifestyle can meet without feeling judged. A place where people can feel free to express themselves and seek out their desires. From it, I have also been given the opportunity to teach a better understanding of BDSM and also to offer classes to help women learn to protect themselves. So many doors have opened for me since I made this move, and now I'm waiting for the one door that is still locked shut." She released my hand and turned her back to me, trying to hide the motions of her hand wiping her cheek.

It took every ounce of control for me not to take her in my arms and soothe her the way my body yearned to, but I knew it wasn't the right time. She wasn't ready and neither was I. I needed to be her friend and not blur the line. _Damn self control_.

"Bella, no door is ever locked. Sometimes it's just stuck, or we're simply pushing it in the wrong direction. Either way, if we step back and examine the situation, eventually we find a way to get the door open." She looked up at me with gratitude in her eyes. I would do everything in my power to help her get that final door open.

"You just say the word and I'll break it down with a battle axe for you." The corners of her lips lifted into a breathtaking smile and the twinkle in her eyes reappeared as she giggled. Her laugh was infectious, causing me to join in until we both had tears in our eyes. I felt like a kid again without a care in the world.

"Thank you, Edward." She took my hand again and we rounded the final corner to the zoo. "So, by my count, you have five questions left."

_Five? Did I really ask fifteen questions already? I'll have to choose these last few very carefully. _Bella released my hand and sprinted toward the gate. Before I had time to realize what she was doing, she had bought our tickets and was waving them at me with a triumphant grin on her face.

"This time is my treat," she smirked, handing me my ticket. "So, Mr Cullen, which way to the monkeys?"

I took her hand, relishing the feel of it against my own. It seemed to fit perfectly against my palm, my own hand guarding and protecting her delicateness. Though I knew that she was neither fragile or delicate, I still felt very protective of her.

"What's your favorite animal?" she asked as we made our way through the zoo. I gave her a smirk indicating that I wasn't answering questions that day.

"Oh, right, I forgot that today I get all of the questions," she smirked again. "I should've brought a notebook to write all my questions down. Who knows when I'll get my chance to ask them?" Her face dropped as she finished speaking.

_Could she be sad at not knowing when she'll see me again? Is it too much to hope that she is? _"I'm sure you won't have to wait too long before you can ask your questions, Bella." _Not if I can help it. _"My evenings are usually free so I'm sure that I can pencil in a night of questions when you're ready." The mere thought of another evening with her caused a huge grin to be plastered across my face, but Bella still looked sullen. _Would she have plans? I know that she has the club, but doesn't she have a manager that can cover for her? I still haven't found out about her sexual preference, or whether she was already in a relationship. Damn, Cullen, smooth. Way to make her feel uncomfortable. Okay I have five questions left, time to man up and find out._

"Are you looking for a new sub?" _What will I do if she says yes? I have no right to be jealous, or to not want her to be happy. This is all a part of who she is, but I want her to myself. Cullen, you don't have her at all, so how could you have her to yourself? I need to stop thinking about our relationship, or lack thereof, and start thinking about how to begin one. _

"No, at this time I'm not looking for a new sub. I have..." She drew her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought of the correct words. "...other plans for myself, at the moment."

She looked up and our eyes met. I could feel the connection in our gaze. I tried to pour every emotion that I had in my body into that moment. I wanted to convey to her exactly how I felt, but I was too afraid to speak. I could see all of her emotions playing behind those dark pools. We both had our own demons to deal with. I just prayed that we could get past them and eventually be together. _Next step, find out what she's looking for._

"What are you looking for in a..." _Do I say man, woman?_ "...partner. What are you looking for in a partner?" She eyed me suspiciously before giving me a sly smile.

"Well, that's what I'm trying to find out. I know what I want in a sub because I'm proficient in that type of relationship. Right now, I honestly have no idea what I'm looking for."

I looked at her wishing that I could be what she was looking for. She met my gaze once again and the emotions I saw nearly broke me. She was nervous and for the first time that day, she looked unsure of herself. Her eyes dropped suddenly, then just as quickly, she snapped her head back up and a bright smile was plastered on her face.

"One thing I do know is that I want some ice cream," she beamed as she skipped over to the vendor. We each got our ice cream and continued on our exploration of the zoo.

We continued idle chatter, but I couldn't seem to focus on the topic. My eyes kept drifting to her mouth as her soft pink tongue would peek out and caress her ice cream. I couldn't seem to break my stare. I was enraptured by the movements of her mouth and the remnants of ice cream on her lips. My own forgotten ice cream began dripping onto my hand, snapping me back into reality. I realized that I had forgotten napkins and proceeded to lick the ice cream off of my hand. I looked up to find Bella staring at me, a look of awe and intrigue on her face.

"What? We forgot napkins." It seemed like a simple enough answer to me and then I noticed that a drop had fallen onto her hand. She raised her hand to her mouth and without breaking eye contact, slid her tongue across her finger. Instantly, I felt the longing to have her tongue on my body and felt the flush rising to my face. She reached over and placed her finger under my chin, pushing my mouth closed. _Shit. _I didn't realize it was open.

"Maybe we should go grab some napkins before we get ourselves into trouble." She took another lick, eyeing me before walking over and grabbing some napkins. She wore a look of pure innocence, which only made my longing more intense.

_What is this woman doing to me?_ At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to take her back to my apartment and explore every inch of her body. That thought both thrilled and horrified me.

"Edward."

Every time I heard my name on her lips, I wanted to hear it again. It was like music to my ears.

"Bella." Speaking her name was the second best sound.

"It's getting late, maybe we should head back to the car." I knew that we still had the ride ahead of us, but I wasn't looking forward to the day ending. She had said that she had questions she wanted to ask me which surely meant she wanted to see me again, right?

"Yea, it's been a long day and I'm sure that Esme is going to want to see me." I was actually surprised that Esme hadn't tried to call me already. I wondered if she knew that we would get along so well. Then I wondered if she really did have to work, or if she had orchestrated our meeting by using work as an excuse. Either way, I was going to have to treat her to dinner as a token of my appreciation.

"So, any more questions? I think that there are a few aspects of my life that you haven't touched on yet," she smirked at me.

_What haven't I asked her about yet? I asked about relationships, career, likes... wait... her past. Why is she a Dom? Is there a reason behind her becoming one? Did something happen to her? Or... is it something people are just born with?_

"What made you decide to become a Dom?" For a brief second, a look of surprise crossed her face. She quickly replaced it with a look of encouragement, although I wasn't sure if it was meant for me or her.

"Other than my father, my mother was never a good judge of character. I followed in her foot steps with my first relationship. He was... very abusive and controlling. Alice and Rose helped me get out and learn that I didn't have to live that way. I met Heidi the year after that and she taught me that I was able to control my life, every aspect of it. She taught me that I was able to be in control of a relationship. She also taught me that with that control came responsibility. I knew what it was like to be in a relationship devoid of love so it would now be my job to make sure that never happened again and now it's my responsibility to teach what I've learned to others, to open people's eyes about this lifestyle and the psychology behind it."

She had amazed me yet again. Just the mere fact that she was able to walk away from such a tragedy was astonishing. The fact that she was able to take it, learn from it, become a better person for it, and teach others to do the same was phenomenal.

"I just want you to know that I admire everything that you've done. You're a strong, beautiful woman who I'm proud to call a friend." Her beaming smile nearly hid the glistening of tears in her eyes. I felt myself filling with rage towards the people that had treated her so poorly. I wondered if the boy she had referred to had ruined any chance of her ever trusting a man. Maybe that was why she was so scared.

"Is that boy the reason that you don't want a relationship with a man?"

A shocked look crossed her face before she broke out into laughter. We had just arrived at her car and she leaned over, bracing herself on her hood as she continued with her hysterics.

_What's so funny? _My face must have shown my confusion because she looked up and took my hand.

"Edward, my last sub just happened to be a woman. It took me a few years, but I'm still attracted to men as well."

I couldn't help the crooked grin that plastered itself across my face. I felt a weight lift off my shoulders as I breathed a sigh of relief. One more question. "Are you seeing anyone?"

She looked at me with a triumphant grin before responding, "I see a lot of people every day."

_Damn, she got me there. _I glared in her direction before laughing and climbing into her car. Just as she turned the key in the ignition, her phone rang. It was then that I realized both of us had left our phones in the center console. I caught a glimpse of her caller ID and could have sworn it said Em. _She knows a lot of people; it could be anyone. _I grabbed my phone and noticed that I had five missed calls, two from Esme, one from Emmett, and two from Angela. Nothing overly important.

"Hey.. yea, sorry I forgot about tonight."

_Does she already have plans for this evening? _I didn't mean for her to cancel anything, but it felt good that she was willing to blow them off to spend time with me.

"Yea, he's here. Would you like to speak to him?"

_Who could want to talk to me? Is it really Emmett on the phone? _I swallowed the lump forming in my throat before taking the phone. Our fingers touched briefly, re-igniting the fire within my soul for her. It solidified my resolve to fight for her if need be.

"Hello?" I said, noting that the phone felt cool against my ear.

"Hey, Eddie, glad to have you back in the states!" My heart sank at the familiar husky voice on the other end. It was Emmett. _What kind of plans did they have for this evening? Maybe it was business, Bella did say that they were working together._ _Breathe, Cullen, you don't know that they're dating. _

"Thanks, Emmett, it feels good to be home. So, what are your plans for this evening? Maybe we can grab a drink or something?" I hadn't seen him since before I left and he was still one of my closest friends. I thought about how nice it would be to get together with him.

"Well," he cleared his throat before continuing, "I was supposed to be on a date with Bella, but she's been hanging out with you." I glanced at Bella and saw the tell-tale flush staining her cheeks.

**Okay, what did you think? Did he ask everything that you wanted to know? What questions would you like to hear from Bella? Would you like to hear from Emmett's POV? Review and let me know. Also a HUGE shout out to my lil sis!!!**


	5. Eighties Night

**A/N First and foremost THANK-YOU to my uber fucktastic beta extraordinaire Changedbyedward, the tree house is stocked and the margaritas are flowing!!**

**Another HUGE thank-you to all of you for sticking with me, I know that I was a major fail with this last chapter. To say that RL has been kicking my ass is the understatement of the year. Luckily I am already working on the next chapter and I promise that it will not take as long for it to come out. And without further ado.................it's eighties night!!!**

Emmett POV

Stepping out the door, I quickly became thankful for my last minute wardrobe choice. My perfectly-worn leather jacket took the bite out of the crisp evening air.

Initially, when Edward asked what I was doing for the evening, I thought that he was going to meet me at Denny's for a much needed Grand Slam. But, when he suggested that we meet at Bella's club, I couldn't pass at the opportunity. I had yet to see Bella's club and I would get to see Edward's reaction to the environment. The whole situation was fucking win for me.

Since I was at Bella's with Alice and Jasper when I made these arrangements, Alice decided to invite herself and Jasper along. _Big fuckin' surprise there. _The more the merrier was my motto. _Or something._ Right as I was about to head home, Alice decided to inform me that it was Eighties Night at the club and I had to dress accordingly. _Shit._

After staring at my closet for twenty minutes, I decided to go with the "Teen Wolf" look. White shirt, jeans, my favorite baseball cap and a trusty, worn leather jacket. _Perfect, you are one sexy beast,_ _Emmett, _I thought to myself as I checked out the whole package in the mirror before I left.

Bella's club was right around the corner from my apartment, so I decided to walk. As I turned the corner I was glad that I did, there wasn't a parking spot in sight and the line was already around the corner and into the alley.

_Damn,_ _Bella, club doesn't open for two hours_.

I was anxious to see the layout of the club. Bella had given me a brief description of what people were capable of doing in her club. Some of it sounded intriguing, while some of it just freaked me right the hell out. Just then the thought of some half-naked woman chasing after Edward with a riding crop popped into my mind. I laughed in spite of thinking that it would either be a very long, or very entertaining evening.

I did know that people who were not active in the "community" or had not taken Bella's SS&C course were only allowed admission on certain evenings. I guessed this was so people didn't freak out and call the police over some kinky consensual sex that they didn't understand or whatever.

I had to give Bella credit, she knew her shit and she wasn't afraid to make sure that her rules were followed. She was also one of the sweetest and most caring women that I knew. From the day I met her, I knew that Edward and she would get along famously. She was gorgeous with her chestnut hair and deep brown eyes, but more than that, she had a radiant soul. Edward and she had that in common. Either of them would give you the shirt off their back if you asked for it.

Then she told me about her Domme side, and I was hooked. Although, as much as I wanted a relationship with her, something was off. I always felt more protective of her than actual desire for her. I still found her attractive, but in a different way, a way that I can't even explain to myself. I know that she's a good woman, but I still have to feel out certain things before she can date my little bro. I've seen him through too much to see it all broken again.

"Yo, man, you Emmett?" the blond haired bouncer yelled.

"Yeah, man, that's me, Bella's friend." Extending my hand, I tested out his grip. If it wasn't strong enough I was going to offer him some free training time at my gym. I couldn't have her help falling short of perfection. I was surprised by the strength behind this slender man. He was shorter than me and not bulky, but from this grip I could tell that underneath his suit he had nothing but toned muscle.

"I'm James, head of security. I've been meaning to get with you about a membership down at your gym. I keep kind of a hectic schedule and I need someone who is willing to work with me on off hours."

"Yeah, no problem. Come on down and stop by the front desk. I'll let them know you're coming by." I wanted to make sure that Bella had the best protection available and this guy looked like he would have friends to bring in with him.

"Thanks, I owe you one. Go on in, the doors don't open for a while yet. Alice and Jasper are already here and Bella said she'll be here in about twenty minutes." He raised the red velvet rope and let me in as a group in line eyed me speculatively. I could've resisted the urge to raise a ruckus and just walked in, but where would be the fun in that?

"Let's get this party started!!!" I shouted, throwing my fists in the air and causing a roar to erupt from the crowd.

"Thanks a lot, dude. Just couldn't resist could you?" The amusement in his voice was obvious as he attempted to control the mob of partygoers whooping and hollering, but mostly protesting because I was going in and they weren't.

I walked through the doors and entered a posh hallway lined by deep red walls. There were several pieces of sensual art on the walls that were adorned by black frames. I noted that they were black and white photographs of specific body parts. The first one was of the soft curve of a woman's hip followed by the chiseled line of a male hipbone.

Tugging up the corner of my shirt, I examined myself. _Yeah,_ _I've got that._ I smirked as I moved on down the hallway, proud of my body.

Several more pictures lined the hall and off to the right was the coat check area with two jet black velvet benches. An attractive blonde was standing behind the counter flashing her best smile.

Just as I was about to walk over and strike up a conversation, I heard my name being called.

"Emmett, I wouldn't if I were you." Alice. Leave it to that feisty little firecracker to throw a curve in my game. She sauntered up to me giving a slight nod to the attractive blonde. "Hey, Mike, love what you've done with your hair."

Glancing over my shoulder, I gave the blonde a shaky grin. Alice grabbed my elbow as little Em crawled into my abdomen and hid behind my liver.

_Holy hell! THAT was way too close for comfort._ _I never would have guessed_…

"He's the only one employed by Bella, but I can't vouch for the patrons tonight, so your best bet is to keep it in your pants," Alice chuckled as she handed me a drink and sank into the plush red booth.

Taking a moment to look at my surroundings, I was surprised by the set-up of the club. I was expecting black, leather, metal, and maybe a torture device or two. Instead I found the decor to be mainly reds and blacks with some midnight blues thrown in. There were three levels to the club area and a stage located against the back wall. We were on the upper level which had a few sunken seating areas complete with deep red velvet cushions and various throw pillows. There was a solid wood table positioned perfectly in the middle of the seating with a row full of shots already filled and ready to go. Jasper draped his arm over Alice's slender shoulders as he pulled her to him, quickly devouring her neck with his mouth.

"Hey, Emmett," he managed before connecting his lips to hers.

"Don't let me bother you guys or anything. I'll just be over here with the liquor," I said before grabbing a shot for each hand and tossing them back. _Jesus Christ, get a room for fuck sake,_ I thought.

About two rounds and three arm wrestling matches later, Bella and Edward decided to join the party.

"Evening, gorgeous," I boasted while grabbing Bella around the waist and lifting her into a signature Emmett Bear Hug. The gesture was rewarded by a jealous glare from my brother, though if I hadn't been looking, I probably would have missed it as he quickly replaced it with a warm smile. We exchanged one of those awkward "guy" hugs as I welcomed him home. Before I could start my round of questions, Alice began dragging Edward off, using the excuse of wardrobe change.

"I guess I'd better scoot and get changed before Alice tires of Ken and decides to play Barbie," Bella said before giving me a quick peck on the cheek and taking off.

"Want to try for round four before they get back?" Jasper wiggled his brow as he stretched his arm across the table waiting for me to kick his ass yet again.

"For a smart man, you sure don't know when to admit defeat," I chortled. I reached to meet his hand and was surprised when my hand hit the table. "Damn, dude! Best outta five?"

Jasper just shook his head, "Nope, once is enough for me."

"So, Jas, what did you do after high school? It's been forever since I saw you last," I said, trying to make conversation. Jasper just gave me a hardened smirk.

"I had some tough times. I got involved with the wrong people and got pretty messed up. Then, something happened that changed my life and after that I came back here, opened my shop, and met my Ally." The look on his face told me that was all the info I was getting.

"Well, it's good to have you back." Taking a moment to notice his attire, I added, "Even though you look like Don Johnson with those damn loafers of yours."

Something soft smacked into the side of my head.

"Miami Vice, respect the Vice, baby." Bella was smirking down at me looking damn sexy in a tight black dress that hit above mid-thigh. Over that, she had on a white men's dress shirt and she was wearing heels that could stab a man through the heart, complete with a delicate strap that wrapped around her ankle. And as if that wasn't enough, she was wearing fishnet stockings. She looked like every man's fantasy.

"Emmett, didn't your momma ever teach you that it's rude to stare?" Bella quipped with a wink.

"Yeah, well, my mother also taught me to appreciate beauty." Before she could protest, I slid my hands onto her waist, lifted her effortlessly, and placed her in my lap. As I looked down on her, I was able to see the swell of her soft breasts rising out of the top of her ridiculously tight dress. My finger slowly traced the line of her chest and I noted that it caused gooseflesh on her creamy skin and a moan that was just barely audible escaped her lips. I yearned to taste the soft flesh and I leaned in, prepared to grant my lips their wish.

"Emmett, can I please get to my drink?" Bella asked as she gracefully removed herself from my lap, causing me to need to shift positions quickly. My jeans had become rather uncomfortable in the last few moments. She eyed me speculatively before grabbing the shot waiting in Jasper's hand and downing it in one quick movement. I quickly grabbed my own shot and began to resettle myself when I caught a familiar face heading our way.

"Yo, Eddie, it's about time you decided to grace us with your presence." I stood to greet my bro as little Alice came rushing in behind him.

"Hey, perfection takes time, Emmett, and tell me that this man does not look like the epitome of perfection." She gave Edward a swift smack on the ass causing him to stumble down the steps where he landed right in Bella's lap. Somehow his hand wound up fondling her breast in an attempt to cushion his fall.

"Point to Eddie! Way to cop a feel and get away with it!" I wasn't sure whose face was redder as they both mumbled apologies and arranged themselves around the table.

"I gotta give you props, Alice. Who woulda thought my bro could pull off the Top Gun look?" I raised my voice and shouted to no one in particular, "Watch out, Maverick, Eddie's the new cat in town!" I saw Bella's eyes shift to give Edward the once-over. If I took off my ball cap we would be wearing the exact same thing, but Bella sure as hell wasn't undressing _me _with her eyes.

"So, dude, if I take my cap off we'd be twins!" I teased. I figured Eddie would just blush and sit there because he rarely surprised me, but somehow, he was on his game.

"Sorry, lil' bro, but it takes years of practice to look this good."

I couldn't help but plaster a grin across my face. "Awww, my little man is finally growing up," I smirked, and then using my finger, I wiped a fake tear from my eye.

"Man, shut up and let's get another round of drinks over here." Edward winked at Bella and within seconds there were three rounds of shots laid out on the table. We each grabbed one and downed it as a team, then took a moment to sit back and enjoy the music.

"So, Bella, why are you having Eighties Night at a sex club?" It was a question that had been bugging me all night, but I finally had the appropriate buzz on board to ask it.

"Well, Emmett, my goal when I opened this club was to make people feel comfortable with their own sexuality. So, I created what we call 'g-rated nights,' which are nights where newbies to our community can feel welcome without being overwhelmed. We take a poll of what theme people want to see on these nights and this week just happened to be Eighties Night. I think the theme next week is Luau."

The whole 'g-rated' thing got the gears in my buzzed mind turning. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to give Edward hell, and this wasn't going to be any different. "Hey, Eddie, you need to get a schedule of these g-rated nights. You're still g-rated, aren't you?"

I watched Edward's face turn nine shades of red and was pretty sure that he mumbled, "Fuck you, man." I sat back, pleased with myself.

"Edward, I think that would be a wonderful idea. It'd give you the perfect chance to meet some of our people before class starts," Bella quickly added.

_Wait_… _class? What class? Bella's class?! Is Eddie really going to sit through a BDSM class without freaking out? Don't make me laugh…_

"You're, uh, gonna take the class, huh, Eddie?" The shade of red covering Edward's face deepened, if that was possible, and confirmed the answer to my question. I smirked and forged ahead. "Are virgins really allowed in your classes, Bella?"

Edward started choking and I quickly clapped my hand against his back, sending an ice cube sailing onto the table. Just as it landed, Edward's fist collided with my bicep.

"What the hell, man? What the fuck was that for?" I would never admit it aloud, but Eddie's punch packed a pretty good sting.

"Dammit, Emmett! Why'd you have to go and bring that up? That was the last thing I wanted her to know about!"

"Dude, are you serious? You really still are? Shit, man, I was just kiddin', I didn't know…" I felt like a total sack of shit, but continued anyway. "Seriously, Eddie, you need to get out more."

"I am out, Emmett! I just have better things to do than worry about the girl who wants to unburden the preacher's son from his virginity!"

Now I can see why he's still a virgin.

"Well shit, there's your problem right there. You over-think everything. What do you care if Bella knows about your v-card still being up for grabs?"

"What do I care if she knows I'm a virgin? Emmett, have you _seen_ her?"

Edward was getting really wound up. For the first time since this exchange had started, I checked around to make sure that Bella wasn't still sitting there watching the whole scene unfold. Initially, I had wanted her sitting there, but since I realized that Edward really still was a virgin, I decided that my choice in topics might not have been appropriate, how ever fucking hysterical it might have been. Fortunately, at some point, Bella and Alice had disappeared.

Edward continued, "She's the epitome of sexual confidence! She owns a freaking sex club! How the hell am I supposed to impress a woman like that?"

There we go, that's the part that I wanted to hear. "So... you're looking to impress her then?"

Edward wrung his hands together as his face showed his internal battle. I already knew the answer to my question by watching him and I would never understand why it took him so long to form the words.

"Yeah, Emmett, I'd like to impress her." he took a pause as if trying to talk himself into asking his next question. "Emmett, I need your help. I need you to help me win Bella."

Now this was going to be interesting. Do I help my brother win the heart of a woman who is his polar opposite? Or do I give into temptation and seduce her myself?

**So....... what did you think? Good, bad ugly??? Review and let me know. I promise that I won't bite.............hard! :)**


	6. Son of a Preacher Man

**A/N Many thanks to the world's BEST beta ChangedbyEdward, without her you would have nothing to read.**

**Big Emmett bear hugs to Militza, JLBM, and the FAB Mrs LillieCullen for putting up with my mindless banter**

**I would like to rec Dark Cravings by Readingtime for this chapter. This is a great fic that mixes the right amount of angst and twisted humor. It's on my favorites and is worth every minute, so as soon as you review, go read.**

**And now, on with the story...  
**

BPOV

_Edward is a virgin? I can't be hearing this right._

Then I noticed his murderous expression and beet red complexion. _Nope he wasn't kidding. _  
_  
Shit, fuck, shit... Alice._

Without having to say a word, Alice stood and we quickly made a beeline for my office.

Once inside, I closed and locked the door, dragging Alice to sit on the bright orange couch.

"Alice, did you hear him?" I don't know why I asked, I already knew that she had. "Oh my God, Alice, he's a _virgin_. I know that shouldn't freak me out, but I mentally undressed him about every five minutes today."

"Bella, honey, it's okay." Her amusement was evident by the pitch of her voice. _How could she find this funny?_

"Alice, focus! There is nothing funny about this, nothing at all. It's bad enough that I want to corrupt the preacher's son, but now I've mentally fucked the preacher's **virgin** son!" Alice erupted into full-on hysterics, complete with snorts and tears. I grabbed the closest thing to me and whacked her in the back of the head. As soon as the pillow connected with her spiky hair, she snatched it out of my hands and began pummeling me with it.

"Bella...you...need...to...calm...down!" She enunciated each of her words with a fierce strike to a random part of my body. Throwing my hands up in defeat, I finally admitted she was right.

"Okay, okay, you evil little pixie. Put the pillow down and I'll remain calm." She gave me one more whack on the top of my head before retreating to the other side of the sofa.

"So, where would you like to start?" she asked as she quirked her eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Can we start with the fact that there is a hot virgin in my sex club?" _One whose virtue I'd like to corrupt._ "Or should we skip right to the part where I'm dating his brother?" _Shit, I'm fucked, or I would like to be... _

"No offense, Bella, but you sound like the plot line for a Jerry Springer show." I couldn't help but laugh.

"All I need now is an evil little spawn so we can play 'Who's your daddy?'." We both let loose the hysterics, snorts and all. As we began to catch our breath and wipe away our tears, the mood turned serious again.

"Why are you so worked up over Edward's _virginity_?" Alice asked, emphasizing the last word as if it were the plague.

"Honestly, Alice, I have no fucking idea. This is all foreign to me." I had never been this worked up over anyone before. Even when I first met Jacob, I was drawn to him out of convenience and then it grew into attraction. After that relationship fell apart, I never attempted to create another one, and I never touched another man. "Alice, let me ask you a question. Before I started dating Emmett, when was the last time that you saw me with a man?" She instantly opened her mouth to speak, but then her brow furrowed and I could see the wheels turning. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish gulping for water before she finally answered.

"Considering that I have never thought of Jacob as anything other than a filthy dog, I've never seen you with a man." I could almost see the light bulb come on in her head. "Oh my God, Bella, I'm the worst best friend ever. I just always thought that you kept your relationships private due to your lifestyle."

"I was rather private with my lifestyle, but I've introduced you to every one of my collared subs, even if you didn't know that was what they were. I was never able to find trust in the male species after Jacob. I didn't even see the point in looking until we got to Washington and I ran across the preacher's boys." Huge grins spread across both of our faces as we both started singing.

"The only one who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man. The only one who could ever teach me, was the son of a preacher man." Deep belly laughs erupted from both of us as we collapsed back against the sofa.

"Looks like you've gotten yourself into quite a pickle, Bella, my dear." She reached over and pulled me into a comforting hug. "You really do need to decide what you want to do on your own. No one can make that choice for you." I knew that the choice was up to me, but I still didn't have to like it. I wished for things to be easy and my choices to not be so hard.

"Thank you, Alice. I really do like Emmett, but there is just something about Edward that seems to draw me in. That's what scares the hell out of me." It was hard to try and explain how I felt to Alice, since I wasn't sure myself. "He makes me want to lose control, I can't think straight around him."

"There are pros and cons to both of them. They're both gorgeous, sweet, and smart. Emmett is built like a rock and has experience to be able to show you what you've been missing," she said as she wiggled her eyebrows suggestively and made a very vulgar hand gesture. "Then again, with Edward you would be able to learn together, and you could mold him into exactly what you want. Actually, Bella, I don't know if there are any cons. Good luck with that choice, honey." She stood and grabbed my hand, pulling me up into a bear hug. "Whatever you do, you need to make sure that it's what you want, what makes you happy. You'll know who to choose." God, I hoped that she was right.

"Thank you, Alice, and you _are_ the best best friend ever, never doubt that. Now, let's get back to these boys before they start really sizing each other up." I winked at her and we skipped out of my office to rejoin the party.

The rest of the evening went off without any major hitches. Emmett and Edward only stayed for about thirty minutes after we returned. The conversation remained light and drifted between childhood memories from the boys and colorful stories from the club. The only surprise came as I walked them to the door.

I pulled Emmett into a hug to thank him for everything and to apologize for my tardiness. As I went to step away, he pulled me flush against his body and brushed his lips against mine. It was a very chaste, soft, kiss; more like a question for both of us. It felt as though he was feeling out the water and seeing if it was going to burn him or not. It was nice, safe, warm, and full of promise as to what could be. "Thank you, Bella, I'll see you this week at class." He released me and walked over to Edward where they exchanged some sort of silent conversation before Emmett slapped Edward on the shoulder and headed out the door.

"Edward," I said, taking a tentative step towards him, effectively closing the gap between us while I pondered my next move, "I had a lot of fun today."

"Me, too, it was very...educational." He broke into the half smirk that made my skin tingle. "I hope that we're able to do that again... soon."

"If memory serves, I believe you still owe me twenty answers," I smirked back at him, watching him wring his hands nervously. On impulse, I reached out to grab his hands in an attempt to calm his nerves. The same electric shock that I'd felt before overtook my senses and my body instantly yearned to be closer to him.

"Bella..." My name on his lips caused me to look up. The look of longing on his face did me in. Before I could think about what I was doing, I stretched to my tip toes and weaved my fingers through his hair, pulling his lips to mine. A shudder ran the length of my body as his lips ignited a fire within my soul. It was a simple kiss, intentionally left innocent. No push for more, no seeking of the potential power it promised, just a simple explanation of the pull between our bodies.

My hands were shaking as I separated our lips and my eyes fluttered open. My gaze was met by the most intense look of my life. His face held the same questions that mine did. What does this all mean? Does she feel it, too? Can we ignore this connection?

"Isabella, from this point on, I don't think that I'll be able to stay away from you. We're from different places, but I can only hope that you feel it, too." His face broke from seriousness as his crooked grin appeared at the same time I felt the heat reach my face. "I'm going to leave now before either of us ends up doing or saying something we might regret, but I'll see you again... soon." He raised my hand and lightly brushed his lips against my knuckles. I felt my knees go weak as the simplest of motions carried so much power and meaning. He released my hand and walked out into the night, taking my heart with him.

**A/N So, what do you think? How do you think that Edward felt about this? What is Emmett thinking? What will happen next? Review, review, review.....**


	7. Blue Ball Bill's House of Hoes

**A/N This chapter is helping me earn my M rating, just fair warning.  
HUGE thank yous to all of my lovely reviewers and readers, without you all I would become the crazy lady with 100 cats calling them each by name. So THANK YOU for making me feel "normal"**

**Hugs to JLBM, Ekkimuh, and Tami for listening to me whine and for being my partners in crime. Militza the corner would not be the same without you.**

**Juju, my dear SWEET, evil Juju. Without you this little story would not make a lick of sense. You manage to whip me into shape exactly when I need it. If you like the lemon in this chapter make sure to let changedbyedward know, she turned the heat up.**

**Now read!!**

EPOV

_It has been two days since I saw Bella last, two __**long**_ _days. I __can_ _still feel the way her lips molded against mine. I can_ _feel the curves of her body flush against mine as her scent engulfed me..._

"Dr Cullen..." The sound of Angela clearing her throat caused my eyes to focus back into reality. "I don't mean to interrupt, but you have a visitor." Running my hand through my hair, I attempted to pull my thoughts together.

"Thank you, Angela," I mumbled while shuffling some of the papers on my table. "Did they happen to say what they were here for?" It wasn't that I didn't want company, I just had a lot of paperwork to get caught up on. Paperwork that I had yet to touch because my mind kept drifting back to a beautiful brunette.

"It's your mom."

I looked up and saw Esme rounding the corner into my office. I stepped to meet her and she pulled me into a warm embrace. I hugged her back, relishing in the comfort and love that she emitted.

"I thought that you were supposed to wait until you were called in?" I said with a grin. Esme knew that I would never complain about a surprise visit. She was my mother in nearly every sense of the word. I lost my own mother when I was very young and Esme raised me as one of her own. Many people never knew that she bore only Emmett, and that was the way she preferred it to be.

"I _have_ been waiting, Edward. Apparently you were so engrossed in your work that you couldn't hear your cell phone ringing." I quickly reached for my phone and flipped it open. I had six missed calls and one text message. The calls were from Esme, but I didn't recognize the number the text was from so I closed the phone while I extended my apologies to my neglected mother.

"Sorry, Esme, I guess my mind is still out in left field." She winked at me before eyeballing the files scattered across my desk. I wondered if she was able to tell that I wasn't working. _What would she think I was doing?_

"It's okay, Edward. I still have no idea why you are back at work already. You know this place ran itself for the past six months; I think they could have survived a couple more days while you caught up on your rest." I knew that she was right, but I had to get out of the house. I needed to find a distraction to occupy my mind. Every spare moment I had was filled with Bella. Her lips, her hair, her...

"Before you get sucked back into that black abyss of a brain, I'm stealing you for lunch. Grab your keys and phone. Maybe I'll hear it ring since we both know you won't." I had learned many years before never to argue with Esme. I hoped that some good food along with even better company would help me to clear my head.

There was a small cafe right around the corner from my practice, so we decided to forgo the use of a vehicle and walk the short distance. What I adored most about Esme was that she didn't feel the need to fill every moment with useless chatter. We were able to make the short distance in companionable silence, just enjoying each other's company. We took our seats at the cafe and placed our orders.

"How was your trip? Did you learn any new practices or meet any new physicians?" She had always liked to hear about my time spent abroad. I'd always tried to convince her to go with me, but the timing was just never right. We continued discussing my trip until the food arrived. Just as I placed the last bite in my mouth, she began to ask the questions that made me nervous.

"So, what do you think of Bella?" I felt the heat rise to cover my cheeks as my heart began hammering against my ribs. Just the mention of her name seemed to set my body on fire. I had never had this type of reaction to a woman before and the magnitude of my emotions intimidated me. The power that this woman had over me in such a short time was borderline insane.

"She's very nice, intelligent, caring, and full of surprises." I forced my response to be as diplomatic as possible. I knew that Esme and Bella were friends, but I wasn't sure what Esme's response to my interest in Bella might be. I wasn't ready to share the true depth of my preoccupation just yet. First I needed to fully understand the situation that I was getting myself into.

Esme looked at me thoughtfully for a brief moment before saying, "I'm really glad that you two got on so well. She's doing some really good things here. I think that the two of you might find that you have a lot in common." She smiled one of her 'you can't hide anything from me' smiles before changing the subject to the upcoming charity auction. There was going to be a council meeting Tuesday night to make a final decision on the location. It seemed as though Bella's offering was not sitting well with some of the parishioners and Esme wanted me to vouch for the appearance and atmosphere of her club, as I had actually been inside. My guess was that the Denalis were behind this meeting. They were one of the top donating families of the church and thought that they were above everyone else. I never fully understood how they could claim such faith and religion, yet still treat people like sub par beings.

A light vibration from my pocket notified me that I had a new message. Pulling out my phone, I noticed that it was from Emmett.  
_  
__**Take an afternoon nap and don't make any plans for the evening. I**_'_**m kidnapping you **__**tonight, be dressed and ready by 8. -E  
**__  
_After our conversation at Bella's the other night, I almost cringed to think about what he might have had planned. He had agreed to help me woo Bella, but it was going to be on his terms. Subjecting myself to Emmett's terms left me nothing to negotiate and effectively scared the living hell out of me.

"Everything okay, Edward? You look like you're about to be ill." Esme's concern was not all that far from the truth. Emmett made me nervous, very nervous.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Emmett just needs my help with something tonight. You know how it is with him, you never get what you're expecting." I forced a smile as I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.

"Oh yeah, I understand. I'm still not sure where he gets his wild side from, but hopefully one day he will find someone to calm him down." Esme excused herself as I scrolled to my message from earlier. I wondered who it could be from.

_**Don't think of me as a stalker, I got your number from Jasper. Did your head explode? I haven't**_ _**seen you around. -Bella**_

Bella had my number. I wondered if Bella had asked Jasper for it, or if he had offered it up in a random conversation. Either way, I was excited that I would be able to contact her without trying to peek into the club's windows.

I was still curious as to how Jasper and Bella knew each other. Alice had probably introduced them as it was blatantly obvious that they were a couple.

My mind wandered off thinking how Bella and I would be in public if _we_ were a couple. Would we hold hands or hide behind closed doors? The vibration of my phone brought me back from my fantasy. I couldn't hide the disappointment I felt when I noticed that the caller ID read 'Emmett Cullen.'

"What?" Irritation flowed through my voice when I answered, though I didn't mean for it to sound as harsh as it did.

"Hey, Eddie, am I interrupting something?" _My mental playtime with Bella. _

"No, man, you just caught me off guard is all, what's up?"

"Just a question... which do you prefer, Caramel or Butterscotch?" _What kind of a question is that?_ With Emmett I highly doubted that we were talking about sundae toppings. Asking would get me nowhere and I really wanted to reply to Bella's text so I took the easy way out.

"Caramel."

"Thanks, bro, see you later," he said and hung up. I wasn't sure if I was nervous or just plain scared about his plans. If it was going to help me impress Bella, it would be worth anything that Emmett could throw at me. Bella. Before my nerves got the best of me, I typed out a quick reply.

_**I think that stalkers get a bad reputation, they need love,**_ _**too. Head is fine, how are your lips? -E  
**__  
_The instant I hit send, my stomach turned into a mass of knots. I wasn't very good at being blunt, but Emmett's first piece of advice was think less, do more. So far it seemed to be working, after all, I did manage to kiss her. I still didn't know how she felt about that kiss; all I knew was that I wanted to do it again. Repeatedly. I hoped that I wasn't being too forward. She _did_ get my phone number on her own. I probably should have given it to her that night. _Damn it, way to drop the ball again, Cullen._ Emmett probably had Jasper give it to her to make up for my lack of intelligence.

"Are you ready, Space Cadet?" Esme stood across the table from me, smirking at me. I hadn't even heard her return. "Still have work on your mind?"

I knew that she would catch me if I lied. "No, this time it's a girl, but before you ask, I'm not giving any details."

"Fair is fair, I know that you'll tell me when you're ready. Now don't forget about the council meeting, I have to get back to the hospital so you'll have to walk back to your office alone." I pulled her into an embrace and we both headed in opposite directions. I was really glad she had stopped by. I had forgotten how much I had missed Esme when I was out of the country.

The rest of my day flew by. The clinic was exceptionally busy, which meant that I was not able to lose myself in my own head. By the time I made it home, it was already seven o'clock. I had forgotten about Emmett's plans when a text came through my phone from him. When I opened the phone to look at it, I noticed I had missed a text from Bella, three actually.

_**Only you would want to take in a stalker, and my lips are...attached. Have any plans for this evening? -B  
**_  
_Attached._ _I would really like for them to be attached_ _to my… Damn Emmett and his_ _damn plans!  
_  
_**Just ran into Emmett, good luck with tonight stud. Don't let him get you into too much trouble, call me if you need bailed out of jail. -B  
**__  
Oh no, how much did Emmett tell her? Surely he didn't mean to assist me by going straight to the source, did he? Crap, as brash as Emmett is, I'm going to have to have enough faith in him to believe that he wouldn't sell me out quite so easily. One more text to go…  
_  
_**Clinic must be keeping you busy, I just wanted to let you know that you can call me if you want to. -B**_

_Does that mean that she wants me to call her now? Or does it mean that I can call her if Emmett is,_ _well,_ _Emmett? Why am I so nervous?_ "Brass Monkey" started blaring from my phone, causing me to jump and drop it. It crashed loudly against the tile floor of my _entryway. Crap, why can't I just relax already and what the heck does Emmett want now?  
_  
_**You've got one hour left,**_ _**pretty boy, and don't even try to chicken out. Get a shower and casual clothes. -Em**_

I didn't feel like spending my evening with Emmett, but if I wanted his help, I knew that I had to. Kicking off my shoes, I stripped out of my work clothes and hopped in the shower. The warm water felt good cascading over my body, slowly working out some of the kinks. Resting my forehead against the shower wall, I let my mind wander.

_I felt her fingers pulling on my hair as her lips crushed against mine. Her tongue slowly caressed_ _my bottom lip as if asking for permission to enter. I felt her_ _taut nipples grazing my own as I sought to be as close to her as possible.._

The feeling of my hand against my very sensitive erection caused me to jump, smacking my knee against the faucet. _Shit, what the hell am I doing? _The warm water helped to release some of my tension, but my body was still wound tight and screaming for some form of release. I had never found a reason to masturbate before, never been this close to snapping. _Will_ _this get rid of the tension in my body?_

_It's a natural thing_ _and thousands of men_ _do it everyday._

_I've_ _made it this far_ _in my life_ _without doing it, why now?_

_Why not?_

Slowly, my hand wrapped firmly around the base of my penis. Taking a deep breath, I leaned my head against my other forearm. Closing my eyes, I saw Bella standing in that tight black dress that hugged every one of her perfect curves. The swell of her perfect breasts rose with every breath she took. My hand began stroking, base to tip. I imagined seeing the way the muscles in her slender neck would contract each time she swallowed. I applied more pressure as I recalled Bella eating her ice cream at the zoo, the way her tongue would move over the surface, caressing each part before retreating between her pink lips. _I wonder how her tongue would feel? What_ _would it_ _feel like to have her lips wrapped around me the way that my hand is now?_

I felt a coil tighten in my stomach as I increased my pace, making long strokes the length of my sex. I started to imagine that Bella was kneeling in front of me and my fingers were wrapped tightly in her mahogany locks as I pumped into her eager mouth. I could almost feel the softness of her lips against me, the warmth of her mouth around me when suddenly, every muscle in my body tensed, as what I presumed to be my orgasm, ripped through me. Semen splattered against the shower wall in front of me as I cried out her name. _Do I stop now?_ The feeling of my hand moving against my sensitive skin was still sending shivers through my body, so although I slowed, I continued to pump until I was flaccid and panting.

As I rinsed off the evidence of my moment of weakness, the reality of what I had just done began to set in. I was frightened and embarrassed by the positions my mind had imagined Bella in and what I had imagined her doing. Just a week ago the thought of wanting to have a woman on her knees before me, giving me a blow job with me pumping into her waiting mouth would have appalled me, but now I couldn't wait to experience it. I wanted it to happen. Soon.

"Eddie, get the hell out of the shower and get some damn clothes on!" Emmett's boisterous voice startled me and tore me away from the turmoil boiling in my mind. Heat rushed to my face and I knew that my cheeks were probably a dark shade of crimson. _Will_ _he be able to tell what I just did?_

The bathroom door flew open, and there stood Emmett holding a towel out to me. "Come on, Eddie, what are you doing in there, jacking off?" He laughed heartily. I, did not.

Switching off the water, I quickly grabbed the towel out of his hand. "Come on, Emmett, give me a break! I was just trying to relax a little. Not everyone is lucky enough to have the energy of a two-year-old."

"It's hard being this damn good, I know." Emmett grinned and flexed his muscles a bit.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed the jeans and black t-shirt off my bed. I dressed quickly and grabbed a pair of black tennis shoes from the closet. Jasper and Emmett were waiting for me in the living room, both of them seemingly shaking with excitement. Emmett strode toward me with a Red Bull in one hand and what looked like one of my ties in the other.

"Drink this, you're gonna need it." He popped open the lid and placed the can into my hand. Giving it one more look, I attempted to gulp down the offensive liquid without letting the taste hit my tongue. When I had finished, Jasper grabbed the can out of my hand and tossed it in the trash. Emmett stepped behind me and said, "Don't freak out, we can't have you seeing the surprise before we get there," as he placed my tie over my eyes and began to knot it against the back of my head.

"Emmett, is this really necessary? I _am_ a grown boy here." All I could hear was their laughter and the knob on my door as someone grabbed my shoulders and pushed my out onto the stoop. I heard the dead bolt lock behind me as we began the walk to the waiting vehicle. Judging by the height, we were taking Emmett's truck and judging by the feel of the seats, I was in the back. I heard the doors shut and the engine rev.

"Alright, little bro, tonight Jasper and I are going to give you your first lesson. We'll give you only one hint of where we're going and that is the soundtrack during our ride. So listen well and don't try to untie the blindfold or get out of the truck, child locks are on." Emmett chuckled while Def Leopard's "Pour some Sugar on Me" started blaring through the speakers.

After "Cherry Pie", "Foxy Lady", various Christina Aguilera, and one very arousing song that I couldn't name, the truck stopped and doors began to open. After my shower activity and the music on the ride, getting out of the truck blindfolded proved to be more difficult than I originally planned and I nearly did a face plant. After various apologies tainted with laughter, Emmett and Jasper began escorting me forward.

"Alright, bro, we're going to take the blindfold off now. Take a deep breath and embrace your manhood." I felt the knot loosen and bright lights assaulted my eyes causing me to wrench them closed. Blinking in an effort to regain focus I was finally able to read the offensive neon glow. There, in bright fluorescent blue, read "Blue Ball Bill's House of Hoes." _Dear Lord in Heaven,_ _please help me now,_ I prayed as Jasper and Emmett began to drag me down the smoke hazed hallway.

After being molested by the bouncer and ogled by the hostess, we finally managed to make our way to a booth set back a few feet from a harshly lit stage. There were four or five scantily clad women carrying drink orders to the sparsely filled tables. A decently attractive red head appeared next to Emmett and proceeded to deposit her obviously fake breasts onto our table to take our order. The only way I was going to make it through the evening was with liquor, and lots of it. Emmett must have realized that and ordered a round of the strongest shots they had. She gave us a wink before sauntering off to get our order. A moment later, the lights around us dimmed. The stage floor lit up as "Baby Got Back" began blaring from the speakers.

A fishnet clad leg appeared from behind a tattered red curtain, followed by what could only be called a 'ghetto booty' covered by a thin layer of faded denim. She began gyrating to the beat and I could not help but be fascinated by the way her body was moving.

When she began to take off her top, I turned my head out of courtesy. It just wasn't gentlemanly to watch a woman do this. It was bad enough that I was already hard from watching her move her body across the stage. How was I to live with myself if I continued to watch her use her body like that?

The waitress returned with our shots and I downed mine before she had the chance to place the glass on the table. Needing the reinforcement, I grabbed Jasper's and Emmett's as well. Laughing, Emmett just pulled a bill from his pocket and began waving it at the now topless dancer. Before I could look away, she shimmied her way to our table, her tan skin and perky breasts momentarily mesmerizing me.

She turned away from Emmett, hooked her thumbs into the loops on her mini-skirt, and slowly slid it down. The top half of her body lowered with the material leaving her rear poised in the air. The removal of her skirt revealed a neon green thong with a small heart charm dangling right at the base of her spine. She had a small star tattoo on her right ass cheek along with a very prominent tan line. She stood back up slowly as Emmett motioned for her to move closer, still waving the bill that he held in his hand. He obviously wanted to talk to her and I cringed thinking about what he might have in mind to tell her. She licked her lips seductively as Emmett began whispering in her ear. She grinned at me while Emmett placed the bill securely in the line of fabric that adorned her hip.

My heart began thundering in my chest and I gave Emmett the finger as her heels clicked loudly on the floor with every step she took in my direction. The stool that I was sitting on put me at eye-level with her very exposed, tan, and very silicone breasts. She had a small metallic ring threaded through each nipple and her shoulders were surprisingly void of any tan line.

My hands wrung nervously in my lap as she straddled my legs, intentionally pressing her heat against the back of my palm. I quickly moved my hands holding them in the air as I had no idea where else to put them. She leaned against me, her pert nipples grazing the exposed skin of my bicep, sending a shiver through my arm. I couldn't decide if the shiver came from her proximity to my skin, or the distaste and discomfort I felt at that moment. Suddenly Emmett was beside me with a small laser pointer.

"These are the breasts," he said in an instructive voice as a tiny red dot appeared on her flesh. "This area around the nipple is called the areola. The nipple itself is highly sensitive and easily stimulated. You can see the stimulation with the perky stance that it develops." As he said this, her nipples looked like they could cut through stone.

"The covered area down here, is what I like to call the 'honey hole'." I refused to follow the pointer to it's new location. "It can make or break a man. This is the reason why women will always be in control. They control it, they control us." I was hoping with every fiber of my being that she would not remove the thin piece of fabric separating me from her 'honey hole.' I had no idea why Emmett thought that I needed a crash course in Anatomy 101, I'm a damn doctor for crying out loud!

"Miss Caramel, if I could get you to turn around for me, please?" Emmett asked as the music shifted to a slower, more seductive pace. He continued, much to my chagrin, "Edward, you see her hips? If she bends over a little bit, those make the perfect handle bars for more efficient thrusts and if you're really eager, grabbing her hair makes for double the leverage and most of them really like that."

I had just about enough of Emmett's shenanigans. I attempted to stand, but Caramel kept gyrating her ass against my thighs.

"Emmett, I happen to be a doctor, just in case you've forgotten. I know what each of these parts are, I don't need you to further degrade this poor woman as you map out the same thing that a textbook would have."

"Yes, Edward, but would a textbook be pierced?" _What the hell does_ _that have to do with anything?_ "And would a textbook be able to tell you the most effective way to make it orgasm?"

"No, Emmett, it wouldn't tell me how to make it orgasm and neither will she!" I placed my hands on her bare shoulders feeling a slight sheen of sweat and oil as I shifted her aside so I could stand without further feeling her anatomy. "Thank you, ma'am, for your time, and you're very good at what you do. It's just that what you do isn't for me. Have a nice evening." With that, I made my way to the bright red 'Exit' sign, nearly running into a tall blonde on my way out. I stopped to apologize, but before I had the chance, she quickly turned away and bolted towards the stage. She tripped two additional waitresses in her flight and right before she went behind the curtains, I caught a brief glimpse of an oddly familiar face. Shaking my head and chalking it up to too much liquor and not enough food, I continued until I was free of the dingy, musty smell and was out in the cool, crisp night air.

Jasper walked up behind me, slapping me on my left shoulder, "Hey, man, you lasted longer in there than I thought you would. Wanna get some food?"

Emmett finally emerged from the building, still flaunting his shit eating grin. Just as he approached, my stomach announced it's need with a low rumble. I really didn't feel like talking to either of them so I continued walking to the truck. Emmett hit the door locks and we all piled in. They decided that food would be our best option and Emmett pulled onto the road in search of nourishment.

Still not speaking to them, I began picturing Bella in place of the stripper.

_Bella's taut nipples brushing against my arm._

_Bella's heat pressed firmly against my hand._

Between my overwhelming need to touch her again and the ample amount of liquor in my system, I was sending the text message before I even had a chance to register what I had written.

**A/N Annnnnnnddddddddd? Are we proud of Edward? What do you think the text said? What do you think Bella is doing right now?  
Who wants a pool filled with chocolate and Cullens? Review and one might appear in your backyard. **waves magic wand**  
**


	8. Winding Roads

**A/N Short and sweet this time. Thank as always to ChangedByEdward my UFBE for LIFE!!**

**Many thanks to Tami and Mil, my partners in crime and inbox stuffer extraordinaries!!**

**And many thanks to all of you, thank you for being patient and supportive, now go read!!**

The cool evening air sought out the tiny gaps in my attire as I shifted through the gears. Opening the throttle, I pressed my body against the jet black gas tank and felt the purr of the engine between my thighs. The low whisper of the wind whipping by, the blur of the landscape as I navigated the highway, my body tingled from the sheer thrill of controlling so much power and speed. The exhilaration from this sense of freedom gave me a chance to clear my mind and just be.

The noise quieted as I slowed to turn onto my favorite back road. Taking in the desolate scenery, I breezed through the gears until I felt as if I were flying.

As I rode, my mind drifted back to the night at the club. I had not been able to focus on a single task all week; instead my thoughts were consumed by the sensation of Edward's lips pressed against mine.

The kiss had been simple, yet it somehow continued to launch my imagination into overdrive. There had been so much confidence in that kiss, confidence that I had not expected from him.

He was a true gentleman, chivalrous to a fault, but I knew somewhere hidden within that persona was a mountain lion waiting to pounce. I wanted to be there to witness it when the mountain lion finally roared.

I could tell that there was an attraction between us, but was it just physical?

He is a very spiritual man, and I am truly not a religious woman, at least not in the traditional sense.

Though he knew about my lifestyle, I was still unsure of how he would react to my world.

Would he be willing to be dominated by his mate? Or would I be willing to offer him the reigns of control? My skin tingled and my muscles tensed as I pictured myself; bound to my sawhorse, Edward working me from behind...

The sound of tires rumbling over raised pavement broke me from my daydream causing me to quickly focus on the narrow road and sharp turns. After focusing on navigating the cliff-side terrain, I was able to reign in my frantic heart rate and regain control over my breathing.

I didn't understand it. I had been well trained in control and patience, but whenever I thought of Edward my libido would dance the quick step.

Perhaps it was the thought of corrupting his innocence.

Or maybe it was as simple as his physical appeal. My heart rate tripled as I remembered the first time that I saw his picture.

His eyes had captured my attention immediately. Not only were they the most gorgeous shade of emerald, resembling the vast plains of Scotland depicted on postcards; they were also brimming with emotion and desire. I could imagine those same eyes looking up at me as he submitted to my will.

I felt the heat wash over my body as I pulled my bike off the pavement and onto the gravel expanse of parking lot by the inlet. Stretching out my cramped thighs, I leaned against the guard rail and took in my surroundings.

The sun was just beginning to fade into the skyline, creating a blanket of colorful peace across the land. I had always enjoyed watching the sun set and how its colors played against each other before blending together to create the black blanket of the evening.

I stood silently for several moments, not thinking of anything other than the beauty before me.

_Does Edward enjoy sunsets as much as I do? Could we sit and watch one without needing to interrupt the moment with words? I wonder where he is right now?_

I had spoken with Emmett several times over the week and the conversations had become increasingly cryptic each time. He never mentioned the kiss from the other evening, or even attempted to reschedule our date. All of his questions seemed to hover around Edward and what I thought of him. At first it felt a bit odd to speak with the man that I just recently dated about his younger brother that I now appeared to have the hots for, but Emmett insisted that it was for a good cause and that if I ever needed someone to vent to, he would be there for me. Flustered and confused with the situation, I figured there was no sense arguing.

My thoughts again wandered to what they were doing.

I had really wanted to see Edward, but Emmett had other plans. So instead, I sat on a guard rail watching the waves lap against the worn rocks below. As the sounds of nature soothed my soul and relaxed my muscles, I thought about my impending class. I still had some touch-ups to make on my lesson plan and now was as good of a time as any. Grabbing my notebook and pencil out of my bag, I began to construct my lesson.

_Introductions: Name and what you desire to gain from this class. _

_Rules of the class and what to expect:_

_1. There will be no intercourse or sharing in this class. Every person has their own comfort zone and although this class is teaching the foundations in BDSM and pushing one's own fantasies, we are just here to lay the foundation and cover the basics. _

_2. We are all adults so we all know how to treat others and we shall all be treated with the utmost respect. _

_3. Take what you learn here and use it to learn more. There are no guidelines to how one lives this type of lifestyle. Each relationship is different and each person within that relationship is different, remember to evolve and grow. _

_Collect checklists. These will be gone over in private between the couples and me. _

_First session is talking only, no play on the first day. _

_Make sure to have them speak with their partners about what they expect from the class and what direction they want to take their relationship. _

_Lesson two will be sensory deprivation and will be held the following week. This lesson will not only help focus on the different parts of the body and how they react to different instruments, it will also build the foundation of trust between partners. _

The sunlight was fading as twilight was approaching, deep red and orange fingers creeping in to caress the clear blue before their grasp closed and the world was cast into darkness. I tossed my notebook back into my bag and closed my eyes and focused on the sounds and sensations surrounding me. The soft whispers of the wind caressing the leaves, the steady crash of waves against rock, the occasional hum of an engine as a lonely traveler continued on his trek into the night. Enveloped in this peaceful cocoon, the sudden beeping of my phone startled me, causing me to fall off my perch and land face first in the gravel.

"_Damn it! I'm glad that no one was here to witness that graceful dismount!"_ I thought to myself as I dug to the bottom of my bag and found the elusive noise maker. My heart began to pound wildly when I saw that the message was from Edward. _Breathe, Bella, it's just a text message._

You need I now. -E

_What the hell does that mean?_

Maybe it was my mood, or possibly my lack of any sort of physical contact, but I decided to cut to the chase and hit the call button. Two rings...

"Helwo," his velvet voice slurred on the line. Yup, Emmett had gotten him drunk.

"Edward, are you drunk?"

"I might have had one or two…or free, but I can still say my ABC's backwards." The amusement in his voice told me just how much he had to drink.

"Since it doesn't appear that you need me to bail you out of jail, what exactly do you need me for?" The lump in my throat momentarily constricted my ability to breathe as I waited for his response. I could hear his heaving breathing, as well as Emmett and Jasper's voices in the background asking who he was talking to. Just as I was about to ask if he was alright, I heard a deep whooshing sound as we simultaneously released our breaths.

"Bella...I...I need... no... I...want...you...here...with me...right now...please." His last words were no more than a whisper, giving me another glimpse of his pure soul. This declaration was so far from his comfort zone that I knew that there was no way I could refuse as I felt my heart melt at his request.

My response was barely audible as I fought to regain my composure. "Tell me where and I'll be there."

Edward attempted to relay directions from Emmett, but after getting three street names wrong and missing two turns, Emmett decided to confiscate his phone. I made Emmett promise not to move until I got there, quickly threw everything back into my bag, and tore out of that parking lot like a bat out of hell.

As I pulled up, I could see Emmett's huge yellow Jeep next to a very familiar sleek red sports car. A slow grin spread across my face at the thought of Emmett when he met the leggy blonde that was Rosalie. My guess was that she had come home early and met up with Alice. My phone had been vibrating so much on the ride over that a good three square inches of my ass check was now numb. At least now I knew who to blame.

I pulled in beside Rose's car and quickly fastened my helmet to the seat before sauntering inside.

No sooner had the heel of my boot hit the carpet did I hear a low cat call from the corner. Emmett.

As I turned, I was able to see the expression on Edward's face. That was when I remembered what I was wearing; tight dark washed jeans, tall black stiletto boots and a deep red corset that was still covered by my leather riding jacket. His bloodshot eyes went from half asleep to fully open in two seconds flat, as his signature half grin graced his flawless face.

Before I could reach the table, he quickly slid over in the round booth. Moving a bit too quickly, he collided into Alice, sending a ripple effect to the rest of our group.

As he began mumbling apologizes, she let out a knowing giggle.

"Hush Edward it's okay," she smirked as she draped her tiny arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a quick embrace. "Our Bella tends to have that effect on people when she's wearing leather." I felt the heat flush my cheeks as Edward's face took on a matching pink tint.

As I slid across the plastic booth, I could feel his body heat increase until his muscled body was mere inches from being in contact with my own. Unable to fight the urge to get closer, I leaned into him, brushing my bottom lip against his ear as I whispered, "Now, how did you want me?"

His spine went rigid as a slight shiver ran through his body, his hand coming to rest against my thigh beneath the table. I placed a chaste kiss on the side of his neck before settling in and ordering some sweet tea and pancakes.

"So, I see you have met our roommate Rose?" I asked Emmett as I gauged the proximity of the two across the booth from us. They had yet to invade each other's "bubble space," but I could clearly see their bodies angling towards each other.

"Yes Bella, why did you never mention that a smart, sexy, beast of a man ran the gym that you were always talking about?"

"Emmett, are you blushing?" I asked as the red stain began creeping up from his neck. I always knew Rose was upfront and a bit unnerving for some people, but I had to give her props for making Emmett blush. "Rose, I didn't think it was possible for Emmett to blush. Just for that you get a bar tab on the house!"

"Bella, honey, it's amazing what I can do when I put my mind to it." Her voice grew husky and wanton as her eyes became fixated on Emmett. I felt Edward's hand tighten on my thigh, as his warm breath tickled my neck.

"I think I'm going to need a ride home." His attempted whisper turned out to sound more like an average statement as the faint smell of vodka reminded me of his current condition.

"First, we're going to have to get some food and coffee in you if you plan on staying on my bike."

I slid a plate of pancakes in front of him and asked the waitress for another coffee as Edward continued to look confused.

"Did you just say bike? As in motorcycle?"

"No, I meant tricycle." Jasper choked on his water and Alice eledstifled a laugh. "Yes, I said motorcycle, as in a custom Buell 1125R."

Pausing to take a sip of coffee, I felt Edward's hand return to my thigh. My hand slowly slid under the table and rested on top of his where I traced lazy circles with my thumb. For a brief moment, I thought I heard what sounded like purring.

The remainder of the meal was spent in relative silence with short bursts of conversation erupting out of nowhere. Everyone seemed at ease with each other, as if we had all been hanging out for years.

There were never any awkward moments of silence or angry stares for back handed comments. Yes, there was the occasional smack of hand against shoulder as Rose began to contain some of Emmett's raunchier comments, but other than that, it was natural and nice.

After splitting up the check, we all stood huddled in front of the door staring at the three rides waiting in the parking lot.

"Why don't you ride with me and I'll show you how she can purr," Rose purred herself to Emmett, at which point I couldn't tell if he was more excited for the car, or for her.

"I'll take your baby home after I drop Alice off. You can come by in the morning and pick it up," Jasper offered and Emmett quickly tossed him the keys.

"I guess that means you're going with me," I smirked as I grabbed Edward around the waist. "That is, if you don't mind holding onto me for dear life until we get home." His arm instantly draped across my shoulder and he pulled me against his side.

"I've been waiting all night to hold you like that." My jaw nearly hit the floor at his words. His smirk grew at my reaction and the beauty of this man sent my heart into overdrive.

"Here's your helmet, let me get on first and lean with me while we're riding. I want your body to stay with mine, flush against mine. If I lean, you lean, got it?"

My body tingled as I thought of his chest pressed firmly against my back while his toned arms gripped tightly around my hips. I started thinking about the other parts of him that would be firmly pressed against me while we rode and was almost completely lost to my fantasy when Edward's voice broke me out of it.

"So, are you coming or what?" I realized he was wearing my spare helmet and was waiting for me to mount my bike. _Mount. Mount Edward. Damn it, Bella, focus!!_

Draping my leg over the seat, I settled myself into position. I kicked down his foot peg and motioned for him to join me. I felt his body slide onto the seat as his legs pressed firmly against my own. Turning the ignition and engaging the clutch, I adjusted myself in the seat so that I could feel every inch of him pressed against me, literally. His strong arms wrapped around my body as I put the bike in gear and pulled out onto the dark road.

**A/N I see you eyeballing that button, go ahead click it. Who knows maybe a half naked Edward will jump out of a cake. Just saying. **


	9. Magnetism

**A/N I do NOT own Twilight or it's characters Smeyer does, but I have smart readers that knew that already. Important A/N at the bottom.**

"Let me get on first and lean with me while we're riding. I want your body to stay with mine, flush against mine. If I lean, you lean, got it?"

Her words kept running through my mind and the implications made my body pulse with excitement. With shaky hands I shoved the helmet over my impending blush and took a deep, calming breath. Even after eating a portion of Emmett's massive pancakes and drinking enough coffee to rival Alice in a jumping contest, I could still feel the large amounts of alcohol floating through my system. The last thing that I needed just then was to lean too far and make both of us become one with the pavement. I may have never been on a bike before, but I had seen plenty of injuries resulting from negligence, or pure idiocy in some cases.

Returning to reality, I noticed that Bella was standing beside me with an odd grin on her face. Her eyes were glazed over and her face glowed with amusement at her mental hiatus. Clearing my throat, I asked if she was getting on the bike. The air was cooling quickly and I was anxious to be pressed against her lean body for the next 45 minutes.

With one final calming breath, I positioned myself behind Bella on the tiny seat. My body was pressed so tightly against hers that I could feel her body heat radiating through her leather jacket. Taking advantage of my need to hold on, I snaked my arms around her waist. For a split second it felt as if her body pressed even more firmly against mine.

The sound of the bike's engine coming to life broke my train of thought. After pulling away from the curb, there was a slight jolt forward as she pulled out onto the highway. My arms instinctively tightened their grip on her body. The tension between us relented as the cool breeze began caressing our muscles and my chin came to rest against her delicate frame.

The sense of freedom that I felt at that moment was intoxicating. The sense of longing for the woman whose body pressed against mine was all encompassing.

My hold relaxed a little as I began to take in the scenery and enjoy the air rushing past us as we rode.

Instead of continuing on the highway, she veered quickly onto a back road. The unexpected turn caused me to clutch her tightly to me once again. Remembering what she had said at the diner, I leaned with her as we took the corner. The instant that we made it through the turn, she began effortlessly flying through the gears. I was guessing that this was a road that she was familiar with as I noticed that the speedometer was registering 80 and steadily climbing. Normally I would have been slightly nervous, but I trusted Bella to know what she was doing.

In the short period of time that I had known her, I was more than able to tell that she was a strong, intelligent and savvy woman. She had yet to give me a reason not to trust her with my life and that was exactly what I was doing now.

Slowing for some slight turns in the road, I felt her body shift back, pressing more firmly against my own. The soft curve of her rear fit perfectly against my groin, eliciting a soft moan from my lips. I pressed my chest firmly against her back as I allowed my hands to slide down to rest against her hips.

Our bodies remained melded together, our heat combining to form a slight sheen of sweat as we leaned into each impending curve. With the slight friction that was caused from the movements of the bike, Bella's body began rubbing against my own. The feel of her against me caused involuntary reactions within me as my mind began to focus on how well we fit against each other. I felt myself harden before my mind could register what was happening. I attempted to change my course of thoughts, but it was too late, my member was as stiff as stone and pressed firmly against Bella's lower back.

I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I felt her body shudder against me. What could she possibly be thinking? Here I was on the back of her bike with my erection making itself quite evident. Would she be disgusted? Was it too soon? How could I let this happen? How could I keep it _from_ happening?

This was not how it was supposed to be. I'm definitely not the kind of guy that just goes around rubbing himself against a woman that I'm infatuated with. She deserves better than that. _I'm_ better than that. In a last ditch effort to help rid myself of the problem, I began to conjure up every image possible.… Lauren from high school in her damn polka-dot bikini that she would squeeze herself into and parade around the beach… Emmett, taking on the pancake challenge last year at the diner. Just when I was about to think of the beach scene from Euro Trip, I felt Bella's ass wiggle back against my groin. It wasn't as though she was moving her body away from me, but instead was attempting to get closer. What did that mean?

Just as we rounded the last corner, I caught a glimpse of lights in the distance and noticed that we were back in town. Suddenly the thought crossed my mind that she didn't know my address and I wondered where she was taking me. Due to the constant stop and go traffic, I didn't want to interrupt her concentration by asking her as she continued to navigate the streets, so instead I just kept my body firmly pressed against hers, and relished the feel of our bodies together.

She pulled into the parking lot of a lingerie boutique and I looked curiously at it as it was obviously closed. She turned off the engine and I heard her tell me that this was our stop. I begrudgingly let go of her, peeled my body away from hers and stood to remove my helmet. She pocketed her keys as she undid her helmet as well. I could see that her hair was damp and had caused a few tendrils to plaster themselves to the side of her face and on instinct my hand reached up and brushed them behind her ear. The moment that my skin met hers, I felt a spark of electricity course through my being. It was the same spark I had felt from our kiss.

I heard her intake of breath as I quickly shoved my hand into my pocket and handed her back the helmet.

"Thank you for the ride, it was… exciting," I mumbled while kicking a stray rock on the ground.

She took the helmet, securing it to the bike as I heard what sounded like a giggle escape her lips. I looked up to see a twinkle of humor in her eyes.

"You're welcome, Edward, and may I just say that I'm not sure that anyone I've ridden with before has ever enjoyed their first ride quite as much as you did." I felt the heat stain my cheeks as a feeling of nausea settled into the pit of my stomach.

"Yea... uh… about that…" I started, but felt her press her finger against my lips before I could form a complete sentence to apologize for my reactions.

"Edward, I'm sorry if that embarrassed you, but please don't let it. I know that we both have a lot to learn about each other, but I would be a fool to say that I don't feel the connection between us." Her finger lingered on my lips as I looked deep into her chocolate eyes. I could see every one of my emotions mirrored within them. Intrigue, admiration, lust. "Why don't we head on up to my place so we can talk and I'll make us a drink. It's colder than an Eskimo's titty out here," she chuckled as she grabbed my hand and led me to the back of the building.

My heart was pounding from her confession and the fact that she was feeling the same thing as me. I wrapped my fingers around hers and followed this amazing woman up to her apartment. I stood back as she unlocked her door and quickly ushered me inside.

As soon as the warmth hit me, I realized exactly how cold I was. My teeth began to chatter and I rubbed my arms to get my circulation moving. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Bella leaning over and watched as she hitched up the leg of her pants and began to unzip her boots. My palms began to sweat as I watched the pale creaminess of her skin being slowly exposed. I saw the corner of her lips curl up as she peeked at me from under her eyelashes.

"Shoes off and on the rack; Alice's rules. And we all know not to piss off that caffeine-laden evil pixie," she chuckled as she placed her boots against the metal rack.

My mind registered her words and I quickly discarded my shoes and added them to the pile. I heard the sound of a zipper and looked to see Bella removing her jacket so I moved to do the same. Just as the leather fell from her shoulders, my own jacket fell to the floor. Bella turned at the noise which gave me the perfect view of her in nothing but jeans and a red corset. The material clung to every curve, leaving the top of her breasts exposed which gave me the ability to watch them rise and fall with each breath she took. Her skin was pale and creamy and looked smooth to the touch, my fingers longed to touch her elegant neck and trace along her exposed collar bone.

The sound of a throat clearing caught my attention as I heard Bella's voice, "I know the corset accentuates my best assets, but my face is up here." She waved her fingers, indicating for me to look at her face. "Wow, that's a new shade of red, even for you," she said with amusement in her voice. Still, I couldn't help the mumbling apologies that escaped my lips.

"It's okay, go ahead and have a seat on the couch and I'll make us a drink to warm us up and get some of your courage back. I like you with a little more bite to your words," she grinned as she pointed to the couch and waltzed off towards the kitchen.

Her apartment was not what I would have expected as it seemed to have walked right out of a designer magazine. Every little piece matched and seemed to be coordinated together, from the hardwood floors, to the deep brown living room set, to the various throw rugs scattered throughout the room. There was a fireplace against one wall and a heavy oak bookcase against the other.

Lined along the top of the mantle stood various framed pictures, so I walked over and began scanning through them. I was able to spot Bella, Alice and Rose throughout each of them. I was amazed at some of the backdrops that I found, from the Eiffel tower, to Niagara Falls, to Egypt, and what appeared to be a rain forest. I didn't realize that Bella had travelled to so many places and was about to ask when I felt her warm breath against my ear.

"You know we haven't visited any of these places." She pressed the glass into my palm and waved her hand toward the pictures. "Alice was having too much fun with photo shop and decided to make a wish list, per se. She picked out the places she has always wanted to go and put our pictures in front of the backdrop. The plan is to replace each one with a true shot once we make it there - so far we've made it to three of the originals but Alice still has to put them in the frames." She grinned at me before she took a long draught of her drink.

"I've always wanted to travel the world. There was a game that Emmett and I used to play when we were little. We'd sneak into Carlisle's study because he had this huge globe in there. We would sit there for hours and spin the globe, pressing our fingers against it to stop on our destination before making up a tale of our adventures there. We've made plans to actually go many times, but there's usually something that stops one of us. I believe we have a trip planned for this summer; maybe this one won't fall through," I said, sighing as I sipped at my drink and looked up to find Bella staring at me. Not wanting to put a damper on my time with her, I flashed her a smile and turned back to face the living room.

"So far what I have seen of your place is really not what I had imagined for you." The heat began rising as soon as the last words slipped off my tongue. "_Please let her have missed that comment,"_ I thought to myself. Glancing up, I saw her shit-eating grin and knew that I was busted. "Um… not that I would be imagining what your place looked like, it's just that I wasn't expecting this much coordination. You just seem like a girl who would have more leather... or… um... metal… shit. I'm just going to stop talking now."

She stepped forward and placed her hand against my cheek, forcing me to look at her. "Edward, it's okay, Alice and Rose live here, too. Alice has a strange obsession with all of those designing shows and had the apartment decorated before we signed the lease."

We stood there staring at each other for a moment, the warmth of her hand against my skin making my head spin. I could see so many emotions swirling in the endless depths of her chocolate eyes; instinctively my tongue came out to run across my lips as I longed to feel her mouth against mine again. My hand slowly rose to rest on top of hers as my body began leaning into her magnetism.

We were lost in each other's souls as I saw nothing but the beautiful woman before me and the closer we were, the stronger I felt the pull of her body. I could feel her breath against my lips as my eyes closed and my free hand rested on her hip. The moment our lips touched, the same electric jolt shot through my body and rocked me to my very core. A sense of calm washed over me as I felt complete for only the second time in my life. I felt her tongue against my lip and opened my mouth to her, relishing her taste mixed with mine.

She let out a low moan as her fingers twined into my hair, tugging lightly as a slight growl rumbled from my chest. My hand moved from her hip to her lower back as I pulled her firmly against my body. I was able to feel every one of her curves as she fit perfectly against me. Our tongues continued to dance against each other as the heat began to flow throughout my being. My arousal grew from the close proximity of her body as everything Bella filled my senses.

I felt the corners of her mouth turn up into a grin and a low chuckle sounded from her chest. Running my tongue across her lips one last time, I pulled my face back but kept her tight against my body. She had a twinkle in her eye matched only by the smile on her swollen lips.

"It's a blow to a man's ego to hear a girl laughing while he's kissing her, Bella," I teased as I ran my hand through her hair.

"I'm not laughing at the kiss Edward, THAT was amazing." She flushed as her gaze dropped down between us. "I would ask your thoughts on the subject, but I think I already have my answer." I buried my face against her shoulder as I felt her body shudder from laughter.

"I'd like to crawl into a hole now, please," I mumbled into her hair.

"Aw Edward, don't be that way. If it makes you feel any better, my nipples are as hard as steel right now." I couldn't help the laughter that escaped me at her comment. "Why don't I show you the rest of our place. I think we could both use the distraction." Reluctantly, I released the grip that I had on her tiny frame as her hand slid into mine.

"You've seen the living room, there's the kitchen, dining room and foyer. Down this hallway are Rose and Alice's bedrooms." She pointed to her left before turning back to her right towards a door that I hadn't notice before. "And this is my oasis in the madness." She swung open the door to another short hallway with two doors facing each other. Her hand rested on the doorknob of the one on the left and swung it open. Obviously, this was her bedroom as against the far wall was a massive king-sized bed with wrought iron framework. The headboard was beautifully made knot work that matched the numerous paintings on the walls. The whole room was done in deep purples and blues.

Black and white snapshots, like those hanging in her club, decorated each wall. The nagging ache in the pit of my stomach returned and I longed to see Bella's naked body sprawled against the deep sapphire of her comforter.

_Get a grip Cullen!_ _Say something…_ _Can you climb on your bed, please? I'd like to see the contrast of your skin against the dark satin. NO, ask about... family._

"Why don't you have any pictures of your family?"

"I only have a few pictures of my grandparents and those I keep at my office as inspiration. My mother has no place in my house and I'm just beginning to have a relationship with my father again." She paused, seemingly thinking about what to say next before deciding to continue, "I consider my friends to be my family. You're able to pick them and they stand by you because they want to, not because they feel some medieval need to have your back."

Even though I understood where she was coming from, her answer hurt me. I was very close with my family and it hurt to know that Bella never had that kind of close connection. I was still lost in thought as I felt her arm brush mine as she walked back out of her room and across the hall. I just figured that the other door was for the linen closet, but as her hand reached the knob her words caused my heart to race.

"Edward, behind this door is my world. This room is where all of my fantasies and those of my partner, come to life." The door swung open and the room was still shrouded in darkness. Taking a step forward, she flipped a switch and the room illuminated with a soft glow. "This, Edward, is my playroom."

**A/N First REVIEW, Second Thank you to Juju and Tami, more than words. **

**Thirdly, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to read and review, your support means more to me than you know. **

**And finally, I have some additional news. With a heavy heart I am putting Domination Station on a temporary hold. Real life has handed me some tough times and my heart and mind are not in the right place to continue at this time. Know that this is NOT a permanent leave, just let me get myself straight so that I can do these characters justice. Please do not let this deter you from this story, but if you choose not to follow it anymore I will understand. Thank you again for all of your love and support. **


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